


Enchanted

by adelcrait



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, Darth Vader's A+ parenting, Defection from the Empire slow burn, Force Ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi, Gen, Imperial Luke Skywalker, Jedi Leia Organa, Jedi Luke Skywalker, Lots of being held at gunpoint by Leia, Mentions of Clone Wars, Prince Luke Skywalker, Sibling Bonding, Trust Issues, Uncle Piett is the Best Piett
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 33,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26411242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adelcrait/pseuds/adelcrait
Summary: Imperial Prince Luke Skywalker, on good terms with his father, receives a visit from Obi-Wan's ghost, saying he must go to Dagobah to find someone named Master Yoda. Luke discovers that Palpatine is planning to kill him and the rebel Leia Organa, who apparently is his twin sister. They decide to keep it a secret and go on a journey of discovering the truth about Darth Vader and the Empire, all while Luke secretly trains Leia so they can kill the Emperor before he kills them.
Relationships: Firmus Piett & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader
Comments: 31
Kudos: 64





	1. Curses of The Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May I present his Imperial Majesty, a nineteen year old Luke Skywalker, whose military ambitions have his father worried. This child is the heir to the Empire, son of Darth Vader, apprentice to a Sith— even if he acts like none of those things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the first two chapters as part of my other crack-ish story [Beyond The Stars](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23228812/chapters/55614688), but it didn't fit with the plot so it didn't get posted. However, some of the dialogue made me laugh and I saw hints of another plot developing from there, so thus this story was born. It's pure crack, and I mostly wrote it to get my mind off 2020. It makes me laugh, so I thought, hey. It might make someone else laugh, or at least make someone forget about the real world for a few minutes. There will be a few chapters where it's just vacation in a lake, and tbh it is just self-indulgent.
> 
> Disclaimer: Dark Side / Sith / Imperial Luke Skywalker should be taken with a grain of salt. He chooses not to be a Sith in this story, but Vader still trains him. Vader is the way he is, dramatic and a bit creepy, but there is no abuse in this story.

**A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away....**

Imperial Prince Luke Skywalker, heir to the Empire, apprentice and son to Darth Vader, was bad at meditation. He didn't grasp the concept the first time, but to his defence, he was only five. All he wanted to do was play with his ship toys and sleep.

Now, at nineteen, nothing had changed except that his ship toys became actual ships and sleep was rare. His mind was elsewhere, never in the moment, always thinking of the future. Now that his father allowed him to fight in the civil war he had a busy schedule— and to Vader's dismay, Luke followed it. He insisted on keeping him away from the war, but Luke didn't listen. 

Luke could be away for weeks, leading squadrons of stormtroopers against rebel invasions, while ignoring Vader's requests to come home because he hated that Luke was involved in the war, yet he couldn't keep the boy away from the battlefield. Vader raised Luke to be a powerful Force user and a good war strategist. The dark side training and politics courses were Palpatine's idea, who stopped caring about the boy once he turned seven, and Vader was never more glad to have the monster away from his child.

They were planning to overthrow him, of course they were. When the time was right, Luke Skywalker would inherit the Empire and restore the calm in the galaxy however he wanted.

*******

Luke was anything but calm. He had returned home after a week away in Imperial Centre, where he was asked to give opinions on new constructions and imperial related businesses that he didn't care about, but as the Imperial Prince his word was gospel. He could ask to build a moon and people would do it.

Their small family of two had many estates across the galaxy, yet Luke considered Home to be his father's flagship. He had spent most of his childhood there, since Vader was busy and never left the ship anyway.

He was in his personal quarters aboard the Executor, finally being able to relax after a week of political debates over why slavery had to be abolished. He knew it was a dangerous subject to dwell on in a room full of important imperial figures, but he didn't care. Everyone knew who he was, or most importantly, whose son he was. No one dared cross him, even if Luke was trained in lightsaber combat in case that ever happened.

The imperials agreed to some of his points, and Luke sadly didn't know if they were telling the truth or they were simply terrified of Vader.

Safe to say, Luke had a long week.

His personal quarters in the Executor were directly attached to his father's— even if Vader never used them. Luke insisted on not allowing anyone in to regularly clean them because this was his safe space where titles didn't matter. He wasn't an Imperial Prince here, he was just a young man revisiting his childhood bedroom.

It was the only room in the entire flagship that was painted white. Luke didn't even remember why he asked it to be painted. Perhaps it was when he was twelve and angry at everyone, and wanted to do some drastic to change his life.

Now he laid on his bed, on the same pillows he's had since he was five, and stared at the ceiling. It had the painted map of the galaxy, planet's names, sectors and hyperspace lanes included. To be fair, it did feel a little childish, but his world had changed so much and so fast that he liked keeping this part of his old self alive.

Not much of a Sith Lord, was he?

Luke hadn't warned his father that he was coming home earlier than expected, so he supposed Vader would be pissed. The man, as volatile as he could be, didn't like surprises. Luke knew he'd be met with a speech on the importance of schedules and blah blah blah– but he wanted to see him.

Force, it had been _weeks_. Luke's opinions mattered so much, or rather, his title did, that he was flown all over the galaxy to discuss things he didn't care about, and Vader....well. His father wasn't a man of many words. He used action. Plus there was the Rebellion that had him occupied and chasing terrorists all day.

Luke hardly ever saw him anymore.

He closed his eyes and started to fall asleep, but felt something in the Force shifting closer to him. He opened his eyes and ignited his lightsaber, always at his belt—upon his father's plea— and stared at the empty room. There was no one, but the Force felt strange. It felt like it was being torn apart and someone was trying to climb in through a hole.

He felt the beginnings of a voice inside his head, and frowned.

_Luke._

He looked around the room but there was nobody.

_It has been long since I saw you. You've grown._

Luke frowned. He had only communicated with his father through the Force, so who–

 _Who are you?_ he asked back. He felt the voice warming up to him, and surprisingly, he felt watched. 

The voice was kind, and Luke recognised it, even if he didn't know its owner. _I want to help you. You are the galaxy's only hope._

 _Only hope for what?_ he asked.

_You are the last Jedi. You must pass on the legacy and not allow yourself to be consumed by the dark. You are still on time._

What the hell. _I'm not a Jedi, and on time for what?_

_You must seek Master Yoda in the Dagobah system. Let him help you._

_Help me with what–?_

The voice faded away, and Luke swore he's never been more confused in his life.

Darth Vader's shuttle landed in his personal hangar two hours later. Admiral Piett was there to greet him as per request. Vader nodded and continued walking, and Piett joined him at his side, jogging a little. “There are developments in Taris, sir, and the TIE-Fighters need the annual inspection.”

”They do not.” 

Piett blinked. “They do, sir, it is protocol.”

”I will check them myself.”

Piett opened and closed his mouth like a fish. “I am afraid that is not possible, we must have a team sent in for proper inspection sir.”

Vader waved a hand. “Very well, and Taris?”

”The rebels escaped and destroyed the imperial post,” explained Piett, “I have the report on your desk.”

Vader forgot he even had a desk. “Very well. Anything else, Admiral?”

Piett nodded urgently. “Yes, you must know that your son has–“

Vader didn't hear the rest of the sentence as he scanned the ship and collided against Luke's presence in the Force. He then turned around and saw Luke walking towards him.

“...has landed this morning,” finished Piett with a sigh. “Welcome aboard, your Highness.” 

Luke crossed his arms. “Firmus, no need for titles, please."

“It is protocol, your Highness.” said Piett with a fond smile, and Luke grinned. Firmus was practically his uncle now.

His actual father, however, was staring at him. “You should have told me you were coming earlier.” said Vader, crossing his arms. 

There it was.

“I didn't know that I would,” protested Luke, “The last meeting was called off because someone's wife went into labor early.”

”And that is a reason to call off a meeting?” asked Vader, incredulous.

Luke looked at him like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Yes? Of course?! I offered to take them to the nearest hospital in my ship but they refused.”

Vader wasn't even surprised at this point. He was sure Luke would have offered to help deliver the baby if he knew how to. “For how long are you staying?” asked Vader. 

Luke clasped his hands behind his back. “Indefinitely at the moment, I have nothing to do. Firmus, can I help you with anything?”

Piett blinked. His own schedule was full and he barely had time to even blink. He could use some help, but he couldn't say that in front of Vader. ”No, your Highness.” he answered in protocol.

Vader walked a few steps ahead of them, oblivious to anything. Luke looked at Piett and tilted his head as a way of repeating the question again. Piett ordered him to pay attention to his father with another nod. They knew each other's gestures from years of practicing and talking behind Vader's back, quite literally. They kept formal appearances up in front of Vader, mostly Piett because he didn't want to lose his job. 

”And you, Father? Are you staying for long?” asked Luke, knowing that Piett needed help. 

They reached their quarters and Piett walked away with a curt nod, and Luke smiled at him as a way of goodbye. He would find him and help with whatever he could after he talked to his father. They entered Vader's personal quarters and Luke saw his father roaming through files on his desk. Luke groaned and pressed his head against Vader's back, exhaling loudly. “I'm _so_ tired. The Imperial Centre was a nightmare.”

Vader continued roaming through the papers, used to his son being dramatic. “When did you arrive?”

”This morning.” answered Luke, closing his eyes and enjoying the barely noticeable warm that came from his father's cape.

”It is still morning.” replied Vader.

Luke groaned again. “At ten standard time.”

”Recently, then. What have you done today?” asked Vader.

Luke frowned and removed his head from Vader's back. He walked to stand near the desk, facing him. ”You're more nervous than usual. What's wrong?” 

Vader didn't answer.

”Father.” repeated Luke patiently.

Vader dropped the files he was holding and looked at him. “The Force is unusual around you. I am merely inquiring if anything significant has happened.”

Luke looked away and exhaled. ”I talked to someone through the Force two hours ago. I don't know who it was.”

”What did they say?” asked Vader.

”Something about me being the galaxy's last hope,” explained Luke with a frown, “Do you know what this means?”

Vader blinked. “No.”

”He also said that I had to find some Master named Yoga.”

Vader froze, and the Force in the room squeaked like colliding ships. “What?” 

Luke noticed his father's tone of voice, even if it was the same all the time. He learnt to distinguish his father's emotions through his voice alone when he was four. The fact that they were connected in the Force was another thing entirely. “A Master named Yoga or Yoda. Do you know him?” he asked seriously.

If Vader could cough, he would. “He is dead.” he said, wanting the conversation to be over. 

Luke blinked. “Do you know him?”

“I did. He was an incompetent.”

Luke thought that perhaps this Yoda was a Jedi, if his father despised him so much. "Is he being hunted?”

Vader hoped Yoda was being _haunted_. “Yes, he has a bounty on his head, but I believe he died a long time ago. The bounty is there for formalities.”

“Why did he die?” asked Luke.

“He was old.”

“How old?”

How could Vader say this without startling his son...

“Eight hundred years, most likely,” said Vader, “He comes from a species of incompetent goblins. What does the Force want with him? If he is alive, that is.”

"I don't know, but perhaps I shouldn't ignore it. It felt important."

“Display your curiosity into something else: go help the Admiral with his bureaucratic work. That creature is not worth your time.” said Vader.

“Why do you hate him so much?” asked Luke, frowning. Fine, the entire galaxy thought Vader hated everything and everyone, but Luke knew that wasn't true. His father didn't care for most things and therefore showed little empathy, but he didn't _hate_ everything.

Vader clenched his fists and tried articulating a proper answer. “He was a Grand Jedi Master. Self-entitled, arrogant, useless and incompetent. Indulged everyone with false, untranslatable wisdom. He trained almost everyone in the Temple.”

“...but you.” finished Luke, crossing his arms. His father never spoke about his past unless he was asked to, and only by Luke.

Vader continued. “He deemed me reckless and unteachable. He must answer for his actions. All Jedi are to be found and executed for treason, that is final.” said Vader, and dropped the subject. The room grew colder, and Vader sensed his son wanting to ask more questions but didn't.

With how little he knew about the Jedi Master, Luke had already decided that he was going to visit Dagobah to find out who could have angered his father so much. Perhaps he would find answers there, even if it was in the form of an eight hundred year old incompetent Jedi.


	2. Dead or Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Obi-Wan, and all his interactions in this chapter are for crack purposes. If this was fully in character, he wouldn't say some of the things he did, but alas. I make myself laugh, and have fun with it, so here we are.

A day later, the Imperial Prince landed on Dagobah, and immediately regretted wearing expensive white clothing. His white boots turned brown the moment he stepped out of the ship, and his white cape had bugs in it and was stained with mud of different densities.

Dagobah looked like a place someone would come to die. Luke understood why a Grand Jedi Master would want to hide there: there was barely any light and the humidity made the oxygen almost unbreathable. The planet was a hell hole where all insects and reptiles went to live. He only hoped he hadn't stepped on the Grand Jedi Master by accident.

At least he knew he wasn't human, so he could start there.

He walked around for a few minutes, trying not to step into mud, and saw a short creature staring at him from a tree branch on the ground. When the creature noticed his staring, it turned around to leave.

“Wait-!” said Luke, and closed his eyes at how ridiculous he sounded.

The creature stopped but didn't turn around. It was a small old thing, barely moved, so Luke thought he might ask if he knew anyone named Yoda. “Do you speak Basic?” he asked, but the creature didn't answer.

Luke felt the Force flow through the soil below its feet, and ignored it. If a Jedi Master was around, it would explain how strange the Force acted around him. “Do you know anyone named Yoda? I'm looking for him.” he repeated.

No answer.

“A friend sent me.” he suggested. He didn't even know if that presence was a friend, but it was worth a try. The voice inside his head from yesterday's morning sounded calm and kind, and Luke trusted it.

The creature finally spoke. “A friend?” its voice was deep but had humorous undertones, “What name?”

The creature was wary of him, Luke noticed. “I don't know. He just told me to find a Jedi Master named Yoda on Dagobah.”

“A Jedi Grand Master, you say, hmm.“

Luke nodded. “So uh, you know him?”

“I do, I do. Come.”

Luke walked closer to the creature and followed it closely. They reached a hut and Luke barely managed to crawl inside. He had given up on trying to keep his clothes clean a long time ago.

The creature was a small green species that Luke didn't recognise. “Your name?” asked the creature.

Luke blinked. He wasn't sure if it was safe to give out his name to a stranger, especially if they were in the middle of nowhere and he was the Imperial Prince, wanted dead by thousands...but he _was_ in the middle of nowhere and the creature seemed harmless enough. “Luke.”

“Luke. Strong in the Force, you are.” said the creature, pointing a short walking stick at him.

He frowned. “You know the Force? You've spoken to Yoda?”

“Hmm, I have, yes.” said the creature. The Force surrounded them, and Luke felt as if he was underwater.

“Can you bring me to him?” asked Luke.

The creature eyed him up and down. “Who are you? No one looking for Yoda, comes here.”

Luke exhaled. “I'm Luke Skywa-”

The Force exploded in front of him, and Luke winced. The creature stumped the stick on the floor harshly, with strength Luke couldn't foresee. “OBI-WAN! TOLD YOU NOT TO BRING HIM HERE, I DID! A TRAITOR, YOU ARE.”

The same voice that Luke heard back in the Executor spoke in between them like an echo from another life. “It is time.“

The creature continued stomping the stick in anger. “Much darkness in him, there is. Train him, I will not.”

Luke was already struggling to keep up with the creature's speech pattern, let alone try to understand what they were talking about.

Obi-Wan spoke. “He doesn't need training. He needs to be readjusted to the light.“

The creature persisted. “No!”

“He is our last hope.”

Luke intervened. “Hello, I'm right here?”

“Foolish you are, Obi-Wan. Even in death.” said the creature.

Luke frowned. “Dead? He's dead?"

The creature glared at him. “Yes! Because of your fath–“

“Master Yoda, there is no need for such a rude introduction. The boy is good, I know it.” said Obi-Wan calmly.

Luke's eyes widened like plates as he stared at the small green creature in front of him. “Yoda...? You're Yoda?!”

Yoda ignored him. “Much good in him? Like much good in his father, you sensed, Obi-Wan?”

“Now, there is no need for this. If you could give him a chance-“

“Like a chance you gave to Darth Vader, hm?“

“I did not–“

“Your fault it is, Obi-Wan. Dead, he should be.“

Once Luke was past his initial shock, he frowned and came to his father's defense. “I'm sorry? Why should my father be dead?”

Yoda answered. “Told you, he has not. Told you he has not, of course. He would not.”

”Tell me what?! Can anyone explain what’s going on?” demanded Luke. His meetings in Imperial Centre were more coherent than these people. They weren't even people: it was a ghost that manifested through the Force in echoes and a strange creature.

“Obi-Wan, tell him. Participate in this, I do not want. Enough of this, I have had.” said Yoda, walking away to the other side of the small hut.

Obi-Wan spoke. “Luke, I knew your father before he turned to the dark side.“

Luke blinked. He recognised the name of Obi-Wan, he wasn't clueless. Even if his father hadn't told him about his former Master, which he did, Luke still knew about the Jedi. Obi-Wan was a common name, and the bounty that was placed on his head was even more well-known. “I know who you are.”

Yoda, who had proclaimed seconds ago that he didn't want to be part of this, spoke again. “What? You do? Told you, your father has?”

“Yeah,” said Luke with a frown, as if it was the most obvious thing, “Of course he's told me. You think I'm not curious about his life? I'm his son! I ask questions!”

“Precisely. His son, you are. Train you, or keep you, I will not.” spat Yoda.

Luke didn't even ask to be trained, yet he was still getting rejected. “Why?”

“Your father.” said Yoda simply, as if that explained everything.

His father was behind a lot of things, but Luke didn't understand what he had to do with any of this. “He's not here.”

“Know you are here, does he?” asked Yoda.

“No! I left.”

“Why?”

“Because Obi-Wan told me to come.” 

“And you did?” asked Yoda.

“Yes, of course! It's not everyday that I hear voices through the Force telling me to go somewhere. My father didn't want me to find you but that's his opinion.”

Yoda smiled to himself. “Skywalkers always reckless for you, they are, Master Kenobi."

There was silence.

“Came here, for what, did you? Forgiveness?” asked Yoda.

“Forgiveness for what?” asked Luke, offended. He took Yoda's side and looked up, “You know what? That’s a very good question! Obi-Wan? Why am I here?”

Obi-Wan sighed. “I sensed Luke was in distress and has been strained from his path for too long. He must be trained in the light.”

What the hell.

Luke was tired, not in distress. For Force's sake, he was sure Yoda was in more distress than he was right now. “What is the difference between light and dark training anyway? It is just the Force.” he mumbled.

Obi-Wan spoke. “That didn't work with Anakin, I'm afraid. He died turning to the dark.“

Luke had enough. They apparently knew his father when he called himself Anakin, but they were speaking nonsense. “Die? My father is not dead.“

Obi-Wan was silent. “Your father died the day he became Darth Vader, Luke.”

What the hell.

Luke snorted. “All my respects, but that doesn't make any sense. I talked to him yesterday, he's not dead.”

Obi-Wan continued talking as if he hadn't heard anything. “Your father is dead, Darth Vader isn't.”

“Do you even hear yourself?” asked Luke.

“The dark side anhilitates people's identities,” reflected Obi-Wan. “Your father was a good man.”

“My father is perfectly fine, except for the injuries that _you_ caused him.” said Luke bitterly.

He knew the story.

Yoda joined the conversation. “Dead, your father should be. Prevented all of this, could have been."

Luke clenched his fists. Who were these people and how did they have the right to say his father should be dead? “Stop saying he should be dead.” he said as politely as he could.

“Dead, he should be.” repeated Yoda.

Luke snorted in bitterness. “He was right. You _are_ intolerable.”

Yoda raised an eyebrow. “Told you this, he has?”

“Yes, he said you were incompetent.”

“Incompetent, you say?” said Yoda, and then laughed to himself, “Never to me, he said that. Liked me, I thought he did.”

Luke knew the words weren't sincere, and he started to understand why his father seemed not to like Yoda.

Obi-Wan spoke. "Can we please concentrate?”

“On what?” spat Luke, annoyed.

“On the fact that you are slowly turning to the dark side, Luke, and you don't know it. I don't want you going down the same path as your father.”

Ah, what the hell. Luke didn't even like the dark side.

“If you know so much, do you also know that my father saves me every time I touch the dark side?” he asked, and everyone was silent, “He rescues me from the dark and doesn't like that I'm in it. In fact, he tries to avoid even mentioning it.” 

Yoda's face was worth it.

“Make sense, this does not. A Dark Lord of the Sith, he is.”

Luke laughed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah whatever.” His father was more preoccupied with his job as Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet than his spiritual title. Only three people in the entire galaxy knew he was a Sith Lord.

Two more now, apparently. A strange frog and some ghost.

“It's just a title. He doesn't care for it. He's Supreme Commander first, Sith later...if never.” said Luke.

“It does not change the fact that he is a Sith.” said Obi-Wan.

“And?” asked Luke.

Yoda stumped his stick on the floor, demanding Obi-Wan's attention. “TOO LATE HE IS! Leave, he must!"

Luke had enough with people telling him to leave twice in a day. “I'm not leaving. What do you want from me?”

“Fight me, you do not want to.” said Yoda.

Luke glared at him. What the hell.

“Judge me by my size, do you?” asked Yoda.

"You know what? Yes, I do!" protested Luke.

Obi-Wan spoke. “Please, I demand you to calm yourselves! Master Yoda, the boy clearly has questions that Anakin hasn't answered.”

It felt weird hearing his father being called his former name. Luke didn't call him Anakin because his father didn't want it. It was easy, and after all, it was just a name. If his father wanted to stop being called Vader, he would call him another name. He didn't understand what the fuss was all about.

“Anything, Skywalker never answered. Never listened. A reckless, impulsive and angry boy, he was.“ said Yoda.

Obi-Wan came in defence of Anakin. “He wasn't always–“

“Quiet!“ said Yoda, and Obi-Wan listened. He must have had authority to make a ghost shut up.

Yoda addressed Luke. “Surprised, I am, that alive you are, Luke.”

Luke frowned. “You knew I was alive?“

“Yes. On the day of your birth, saw you, I did. Grown up, you are.“

Obi-Wan repressed saying he looked like Anakin did at his age.

Luke was so confused. “Why were you present at my birth? Where was my father?”

Yoda looked at the ceiling. “Dying, he was. Died, he should have.” he said nostalgically.

Luke had enough. “Can you two please stop being so enigmatic and tell me what happened and why am I here?”

Obi-Wan spoke. “What has he told you, Luke?”

Luke liked the ghost. “About what?”

”About your birth.”

Luke frowned. “The graphic details?”

”No! I see he hasn't told you the truth.”

”What truth?” asked Luke. His father was incapable of lying to him, mainly because they were so connected that Luke would sense it miles away.

“Your father was not present in your birth, and I took you with me to Tatooine. He found us a few days later, and took you with him.” explained Obi-Wan silently.

Luke blinked. He expected something more dramatic and heroic, not this. “Well...he did, so?”

Yoda sighed. “Lost the boy, is. Leave it, Obi-Wan. Irrational, Old Skywalker still is. Surprised, I am not.“

"What is so wrong about a father finding his son?" asked Luke.

"Your father turned to the dark side and tried to kill me! How could I leave a baby in such hands?" said Obi-Wan.

"Killed him, you should have." repeated Yoda.

Both Luke and Obi-Wan, even if the man was just a voice, glared at Yoda.

Yoda blinked. "Not the boy. Darth Vader."

Luke exhaled. He could tolerate a Jedi, but he drew the line at baby killer. 

Obi-Wan spoke. "Darth Vader killed children that day. He would have killed his son if he misbehaved."

Luke froze. "My father killed children? What?"

"Yes, a few days before you were born all the Jedi had been purged. Your father murdered the children in the Jedi Temple. You understand my need to have you away from him," explained Obi-Wan. "Back then and now."

Luke was still processing the words 'murdering children' next to his father's name, but to his own surprise, he expected it. He knew of all the murders committed by Vader. It was part of the job, even if it bothered Luke.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't hear another ship landing.

* * *

Luke left the Jedi Masters to their own pointless arguments about whether his father was still alive or not, and walked out of the hut. He focused on the presence coming towards them, and turned around. He saw a woman his age coming from the trees, cursing at the plants and trying not to fall with the strange tree branches, and recognised her.

She recognised him too.

Before they knew it, they both had their weapons drawn at each other. Leia Organa pointed her blaster at him, and Luke had already ignited his red lightsaber.

”Move and I will blast you.” she spat, one hair falling out of place from the humidity.

Luke smirked with mischief. The red of his lightsaber made his originally white (now brown) outfit almost light pink. The hum of the lightsaber echoed across the planet. He didn't flinch. “You would be dead already if it wasn't for _him_.” 

Leia frowned. “For who? Your daddy's not here to protect you.”

”I don't need his protection, and I suggest you do not try me.” said Luke coldly.

Leia looked at him, disgusted, and saw a creature walking out of a small hut. It was green, tiny and had pointy ears. ”You two! Stop this at once, you will. Not here to attack each other, you are.” he said.

Leia frowned hysterically. She had never seen a creature like this. “Who are you?”

”Told you to come here, Obi-Wan did.”

Leia nodded curtly, still keeping her gaze on the Imperial Prince. He didn't move a muscle. “Yes, and I’m starting to regret that.” she said, looking at Luke.

”You will regret coming here after I put you to justice for being a terrorist,” spat Luke, and Leia glared at him, “Do not think that I am unfamiliar with you, Princess.”

Yoda found that incredibly funny and tapped his feet on the ground. “Familiar, you are— yes. Come with me, come.”

”Can someone explain to me what the hell is going on?!” demanded Leia, and for once in his life, Luke agreed with her. “Why did Obi-Wan send me here?”

”Talk to you both, I need.” said Yoda patiently.

Luke and Leia screamed in unison. “Then talk!”

Yoda stared at them, dumbfounded. The kids stood a few steps away from each other, weapons still drawn. “Much like your father, you two are.”

Leia was growing impatient. “You know nothing of who I am. I demand to speak to Obi-Wan, make him appear. Since you clearly are an incompetent.”

Luke froze. Vader had used the same word to describe Yoda...

Wait.

What did Yoda mean by _familiar?_

He scanned her through the Force and saw that she was untrained, but had a strong connection to the Force, almost equal to his own. He sighed and lowered his lightsaber to the ground. ”There is no need to talk to Obi-Wan. We have been ambushed,” explained Luke, “It appears they wanted us to meet.”

Leia snorted. “Like hell they do.”

Yoda protested. “We did!”

“If this has been a waste of time I'm leaving. Tell Obi-Wan to stop bothering me. Any last words?”

Yoda spoke. “Yes. Luke, your twin brother is, and in grave danger you both are.”

Silence.

After a few seconds of processing, the trees around Yoda's hut burnt. Leia had shot them all, and Luke and Yoda had given up on stopping her. They both sat on the ground, Luke sitting on a gigantic tree branch on the floor, patiently waiting for her to stop, and Yoda next to him, drawing patterns in the mud.

“This must be a joke!” spat Leia, turning to them, “I demand to speak to Obi-Wan, now!”

Obi-Wan spoke. "Yes?”

”Is it true then?” she asked, sweating and out of breath. 

”Yes. You are Anakin's daughter.”

Luke exhaled, frustrated. “Oh for Force's sake, stop calling him that!”

Leia frowned. “Anakin? Who?”

Obi-Wan spoke. “Luke's dead father.”

”Oh, you mean Vader? Vader's not dead,” she protested, “Wish he was though.”

Luke glared at her. 

“Wait, his name is Anakin?” she asked, confused. Then she remembered. “Anakin Skywalker? That guy? I thought he was dead!”  
  
Nobody knew any private details about Vader or even the Imperial Prince's full name, everyone addressed him as Imperial Majesty, Royal Highness, and other formal titles depending on the context. Only Piett knew Luke's full name, and only because when Luke was little it escaped. There were rumours that Anakin Skywalker survived, but they were just rumours.

Luke was throwing daggers at all of them. “Calling him a name he no longer goes by is disrespectful to him and I demand you to stop.”

Leia scoffed. “Disrespectful he says! Do you even hear yourself?! It's Vader we're talking about!”

Luke stood up and walked to her. “Yes, _our_ father!”

Leia glared at him, strands of hair loose in front of her face. “He's not my father. My real father is dead.”

Obi-Wan spoke. “Yes, Anakin is dead.”

Luke and Leia both groaned at the sky at the same time. Leia continued, ignoring her second similar outburst with the Imperial Prince. ”I'm not talking about him! My father, Bail Organa of Alderaan, is dead, because of _your_ father by the way,” she spat at Luke, standing dangerously close to him.

Luke deadpanned. “Yes, Alderaan was the epicentre of the Rebellion. But if it soothes you I had nothing to do with it. I was on the other side of the galaxy when that happened.”

On the floor, sitting politely, Yoda started to laugh quietly. Both Luke and Leia turned around angrily. “What's so funny?” they said in unison.

”And who even is that?” exclaimed Leia, pointing at Yoda.

Luke crossed his arms. “That's a Jedi Master called Yoda. Obi-Wan told me to find him in Dagobah.”

Leia's anger stopped for a few seconds. “Is that why you're here?” she asked.

Luke frowned at her calmness. After being in her company for only five minutes, he could already confirm that Leia had his father's anger.

Well, not _her father's_ anger– Vader's anger.

Her father.

Ah, whatever.

”Yes, Obi-Wan appeared yesterday and told me to come here. So here I am, ambushed by Yoda and a ghost, and for what? I'm missing an important briefing!” said Luke, addressing Yoda, “And I'm sure the Princess has elsewhere to be.”

Leia, for once in her life, agreed with the Imperial Prince.

”...planning some rebel attack, perhaps? Where is it now? Imperial Centre? You haven't done anything there for months now. My father and I are getting bored.” 

Leia fumed again. She turned to look at him and slightly pushed him backwards, not enough to make him fall, but Luke was surprised. ”I thought we'd get along.” he said naively.

”You bet your imperial ass I will not–“

She stopped when her feet no longer touched ground. She was suspended in the air, far away from Luke.

Luke was also levitating quietly, throwing daggers at Yoda. ” _Really?_ My father did this to me when I was a toddler! Put me down. I'm a grown man and can behave, _unlike others_.”

Leia fumed. “When I catch you–“ she spat and tried to move, but the gravitational force kept her still.

Yoda had his eyes closed, shaking his head in disapproval. “Children, you both are. So much power, you should not have. Here to warn you of danger, I am.” he said tiredly. He had enough of dealing with Anakin Skywalker wreaking havoc in the Temple back in the days. He couldn't stop him then, but he might stop his children now.

The twins stopped glaring at each other. “What danger?” asked Leia.

”Sidious found you both, has. Planning to kill you, he is.”

Luke frowned. “Palpatine? He knows who I am.”

”Yes, but planning to kill you until recently, he did not. A spike in the Force from him, there has been.” explained Yoda.

”That's not a reason for him to want to kill me.” said Luke.

Leia was so confused. ”What's a spike in the Force?” 

Luke glared at her again and chose to ignore her. He sometimes had wished for a sibling growing up, but the idea faded quickly. Now he was glad he was raised as an only child: he had met his sister five minutes ago and they tried to attack each other twice.

“No, but realised the power you two hold together, he has. Of Leia's existence, he did not know of.” explained Yoda.

Luke frowned. “Your name is Leia?”

She rolled her eyes.

”I used to have a Tooka named Leia...” wondered Luke, terrified.

“Vader let you have a Tooka?” she asked.

Luke was still lost in thought. “Yeah, she died a few years ago.”

Leia, not knowing how or why, sensed his pain like it was her own. She didn't know the Imperial Prince was even capable of empathy. “I'm sorry to hear that.”

The beginnings of a smile showed in Luke's face, but disappeared quickly. “It's alright.”

Yoda rolled his eyes. “Luke! Attention to me, pay! Important this is! Brought you two together we have, to destroy Sidious.” he said, stomping his stick on the ground.

Luke's eyes widened and he tried to reach out of Yoda's invisible force gravity that was keeping him levitating. “No! Do you think I want to die? I won't attempt treason against the Empire!”

Leia was suddenly terrified. “Does this make me the Imperial Princess–?” she groaned loudly and shut her eyes. “Great! This is fantastic! When do I move in?” she asked sarcastically.

Luke was offended. “ _Never!_ Also my father will kill you on sight if you even step a foot into a star destroyer.”

“He'll kill me on sight anyway. I'm a rebel.”

”Yes, also that!”

Yoda spoke. “Children! No attention span you have, like old Skywalker. Concentrate, you must,” he said, and then walked to stand under Luke's floating body. “Teach your sister the ways of the Force, you must.”

”Why?” he asked, confused.

”Sidious try to kill her, will. Let that happen, you must not.”

Leia interrupted. “Everyone wait!” she shouted, and her voice was authoritative. It reminded Luke too much of Vader, “How do I even know you're not lying to me? I have no proof that I'm Vader's daughter.”

”Right, you are, yes.” answered Yoda. He then let the invisible gravitational force disappear around her, and she fell down, but managed to make herself float centimetres before she hit the ground. She panicked as she descended slowly and knelt on the grass. “Why did you do that?!”

”Great senses and preservation, you have. Used the Force to avoid pain, you have.”

Leia was too out of breath to understand anything. Yoda then let Luke go, and Luke did the same but less clumsier. He landed on both feet, using the Force to soothe his descend.

“Train you well, Vader has...” said Yoda.

Luke nodded, ignoring his instinct to look at Leia, who was still kneeling on the grass, recovering from the shock. 

”...but darkness in you, I do not sense.” said Yoda.

”If you mean the dark side, I don't want it. I tried it, it was awful, I let it go.”

Yoda's eyes widened. “Impossible, that is. Come back from the dark side, no one can.”

Luke groaned and decided to go check on Leia while Yoda was processing that he wasn't a Sith Lord. Leia glared at him and stood up when he approached in a hurry, and took a step back. “Don't touch me.”

Luke raised his arms. “Wasn't planning to.”

Yoda was still in trance, shocked, processing that Vader didn't impose the dark side on his only child.

”Is he mad?” whispered Leia, looking at Yoda and straightening her clothes.

Luke crossed his arms and nodded, and leaned closer so Yoda wouldn't hear. ”Maybe. I think he doesn't believe that the son of a Sith Lord isn't evil.” he whispered conspiratorially.

Leia frowned. “But _you_ are.” she whispered.

“And you're a rebel. So?”

”You're impossible.”

”Try me.” whispered Luke, and walked away.

Yoda was still in shock, and Luke kneeled down to his height to talk to him better. “So, say I will train Leia in the Force, what then? I can't just show up to kill Palpatine. I'll die the second he senses my intent.”

Yoda snapped out of it. “Yes, but your father. Kill him, he can.”

”You think my father is just going to kill his Master? The actual Emperor?” asked Luke.

”Yes, in much pain your father is. Know this, you do not.”

Luke's heart shattered. “What?” he whispered. His defences were so low now that if Leia wanted to kill him, he wouldn't even notice.

“Vader's pain across the galaxy, is felt. Physical pain, it is. In agony, he walks. Much reason to kill Sidious, he has, but know this, you do not. Talk to him about this, have you ever?”

Luke blinked. No, he hasn't.

”Thought so.” said Yoda.

Luke panicked. Was Yoda reading his thoughts?

Yoda hit him with the stick. “Projecting, you are! Teaching you also need! Sidious will read you entirely, if shield better, you do not!”

”Hey! I know how to shield!” he protested.

”Hmm, do you?” asked Yoda.

“Yeah, try me!”

Yoda sighed and sent Luke flying a few steps backwards, and Luke managed to cushion his landing with the Force. Leia just saw Yoda closing his eyes and for some reason the Imperial Prince was defeated...by a frog?

”A frog, I am not! Projecting, you also are! A disgrace to the Force, you both are!” exclaimed Yoda, hitting his stick against the ground.

Luke opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Yoda hadn't used all his power and still beat him faster than anyone ever had. ”You really are a Jedi Grand Master.” said Luke through clenched teeth, struggling to get up.

Leia watched everything with a frown, arms crossed. “Hey, can we please get back to the topic? If I am to be trained in the Force, if the Prince does it, wouldn't Vader or Sidious suspect?”

Yoda thought about it. “Yes, right you are. Train somewhere far from Coruscant, you must. Where Sidious sense you, cannot.”

Leia walked to Yoda. “Do you think I have so little to do than fly off to the Unexplored Regions just so Vader's son can teach me how to levitate things?! I am a crucial part of my work and I cannot leave my people behind.”

Luke agreed with her. “And I am leaving to go fight the war soon. This wouldn't be possible.”

”Ah, try it, I had to,” he said, walking back to his hut, “Right I was, too much of your father you both have in you. Selfish, you are. Uncontrolled.”

Luke had stopped trying to argue with Yoda.

Yoda turned around to look at Leia. “You, however, much hope I had for you. Told me you resemble your mother, Obi-Wan has. But no, take after your father, you do...A shame, it is.”

”My mother?” asked Leia, “Wait. You knew her?”

She had a mother. Breha Organa was her mother, she had raised her, taught her everything she knew. But she was curious to know who her birth mother was...even if she had no sympathy for her at all. No one that gave birth to the Imperial Prince was kind.

”Yes. Important to the Republic, she was. Much strength and wisdom she had. Sensible yet ruthless, she was. Complimented your father in many different ways. A pity neither of you inherited her qualities, it is.”

Luke and Leia looked at each other before Yoda walked into the hut. “Who was she?” they both asked in unison.

Yoda stopped before leaving. “Padmé Amidala.”

Leia's entire world shattered. Padmé Amidala indirectly helped create the Alliance. She was her mother? Leia shut her eyes and wished the day's information could have been handled to her differently. Perrhaps the Imperial Prince's mother was not a monster, after all.

Luke was frowning. “Who?”

Leia turned to him, fuming. “You don't know who she is?!”

Luke shook his head, still frowning.

”She was the queen of Naboo and later a Senator during the Republic! Do you even know how many laws she helped pass during the clone wars?”

Luke looked at the sky, trying to remember the name from his history lessons. “Ah, no, not really. I haven't been taught much about the clone wars.”

Leia frowned. She didn't believe this. “You're the Imperial Prince and you don't know galactical history? Tell me, how did the clone wars end?"

”My father defeated the Separatists and restored galactic peace, and the Emperor proclaimed the Empire some days before I was born. Before we were born, I guess. Your birthday's around Empire Day, too?” he asked. It felt weird sharing a birthday with someone, let alone his newly discovered twin sister.

Leia glared at him. ”Your father didn't do shit. The Emperor sent him to kill the Separatists and the war was orchestrated by him. He was behind the Republic and behind the Separatists. Once the Republic fell there was no need for a war, and so he sent his new toy to kill whoever was left. Vader didn't restore shit.”

Luke didn't believe any of this. It was rebel propaganda. “No, I– he didn't– it–“

”Yeah yeah, whatever, you tell yourself that. Do you know why the Alliance to restore the Republic was formed?” she asked.

Luke didn't answer.

”So I thought. Padmé Amidala and several other senators spoke against Chancellor Palpatine for still being in power even if his term had expired. Most of them are dead now. The Alliance to restore the Republic was formed even before the Republic fell. So tell me, who is the bad guy here?” she asked.

Luke merely blinked. “You are lying.”

”This is basic galactic history, your Highness,” said Leia, “if you don't believe me, ask your dear father. See what he tells you.”

”He will refuse everything you said because you are a liar.” affirmed Luke, his blue eyes now an icy colour.

Leia snorted. ”Go ask him! I don't think he's going to lie to you if you come with the truth. Your teachers probably repeated to you the same nonsense Palpatine speaks every day...”

”Enough!” exclaimed Luke, and the trees around them shook. He walked closer to her. “You will stop spreading rebel propaganda now.”

Leia glared at him, and leaned closer until their noses were almost touching. “Try me,” she said, quoting him back.

The Force exploded in Dagobah.

Luke clenched his jaw and was sent backwards by an invisible push. He crashed against the tree, dizzy from the impact, and Leia gasped.

Yoda had walked out of the hut and was struggling to keep Luke immobile with the Force. ”Leave now you must! Keep him longer, I cannot! Dangerous, he is!”

Leia was out of breath, confused. “Thank you! I apologise for what I said earlier!” she said, and ran across the jungle towards her ship. She left Dagobah as fast as she could, ignoring some dark strings that were trying to find her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a post about Yoda's point of view [here](https://adelcrait.tumblr.com/post/626654600153415680/you-wanting-to-prevent-the-same-disaster-you).


	3. The Difference

A frog and a ghost.

He was better than this.

A few hours later, Luke landed in the Executor, fuming and dirty. He wanted to burn these clothes off and go for a run, perhaps five. His hair was greasy from the humidity and dirty from all the laying in the grass he had to do. Yoda had defeated him without moving a finger. Luke had no other choice but to leave Dagobah before the Jedi Master monologued again about how 'Obi-Wan killed his father'.

What nonsense! His father was right here, on the Executor, alive! He wasn't dead! How much of a difference was there between Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader that the people that knew him would rather believe him dead than alive?!

 _Killing children_ , said the voice of Obi-Wan in his head.

 _Leave me alone._ grunted Luke.

His clothes stuck to his body and his cape was still cloaked from all the water. His landing was rough and the ship almost crashed, and he groaned in frustration as the ramp was taking too long to descend. He saw Admiral Piett on the other side of it, and stopped. 

Piett was scandalized as he stared at Luke up and down. ”Luke! What happened to you?” 

Luke marched ahead of him, trying to contain his frustration and not take it out on Piett. 

“Luke!” repeated Piett, struggling to catch up with his strides. He eventually reached him and placed one hand on his arm, effectively stopping him. Luke glared at him with icy blue eyes. “Oh, that bad?” asked Piett, concerned.

He wasn't afraid of him. He had seen him in this state hundreds of times, and he always made sure to bring him out of them. Piett had never seen Darth Vader without a mask, but when his son got angry Piett was sure he was staring right at Lord Vader himself.

”A bad day. Please let me go.” said Luke through clenched teeth, trying to get out of Piett's grasp. 

Piett leaned closer. “Your father is not having a good day either. I suggest for your own sake that you collect yourself and change clothes before you face him. For your sake.” he whispered.

Luke's nostrils flared and he was about to leave, but he saw the plea in Piett's eyes and calmed down. “There we are. Come on, talk me through it.” said Piett and patted him in the back, urging him to walk.

Piett remembered that when Luke was little he never sat still. Lord Vader even used his magic to levitate the kid, which only made Luke laugh even more.

When Luke was a teenager, his mood swings grew and Vader could hardly keep up. Piett had never seen him so stressed. Luke needed someone to listen to him complain instead of offering practical solutions to his problems.

Piett never doubted that Vader loved his son, but sometimes he didn't understand how human brains worked. Piett, having been raised with younger siblings, understood that all too well. Luke and him went on long rides across the flagship where Luke complained for hours about the pressures and expectations of being the Imperial Prince, and Piett never said a word.

People could say whatever they wanted, but he had practically raised Luke and considered him family. It was his turn to calm down the boy again. “Where have you gone?”

Luke was still fuming, walking a bit too fast. “You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”

A frog had defeated him. A frog whose height didn't even reach his knees. He had defeated him, outsmarted him, and left him covered in mud from head to toe.

Piett pressed a hand on Luke's shoulder. “How about you go clean up and we get some caf? I heard the chefs are putting pastries today.”

Luke looked at him. “Pastries?”

Piett nodded conspiratorially, and Luke smiled. An hour later, having changed into clean clothes and finally washed up, he opened his door and found Piett outside.

”I thought we were going to the dining hall?” asked Luke, confused.

“It's too crowded now, it's dinner time.”

Luke frowned, running a hand through his wet hair. “Already?”

”Yes. I thought we could eat in your quarters, if you don't mind.”

”Sure, come in,” said Luke, moving out of the way to let Piett in. Luke's private quarters were an entire apartment. Vader had offered him a palace, but he had refused. Why did he need a palace if he barely even used his quarters in a spaceship?

“If your father sees the state of your quarters he will be most displeased.” said Piett. He put some chairs back in their place and straightened the position of the couches, just to do something. 

“At least it looks like someone actually lives here, you know. My father's rooms feel like a museum.” said Luke.

”You know he doesn't use them much,” said Piett, and then grew concerned. “Is everything alright between you two?”

Luke was lost in thought, remembering what Leia Organa, his _sister_ , told him about Vader. ”What? Of course, you saw us yesterday. Why?”

”Usually whenever you're upset you go to him. He's here now and you haven't reached to contact him.”

”Does he know I left?” asked Luke.

”No. Should I tell him?” 

Luke blinked. Sometimes he forgot that Piett answered to Vader first, Luke later. “Better not.”

Piett ordered dinner and insisted Luke ate something even if the boy insisted that he wasn't hungry. Once the food arrived they slowly started to eat, and Luke's appetite appeared. 

“So, tell me.”

Luke didn't even know where to begin. He wondered if he should tell this to Piett, who didn't know much about the Force let alone that the Emperor was one of the most powerful Force users in the galaxy.

Luke sighed. ”I don't want to talk about it. How's my father? Why is he angry now?” he asked.

”There's been another rebel attack in the Imperial Centre.”

Luke almost choked on his food. Was Leia Organa that petty that she attacked the same planet he told her not to?

”When did this happen?!” asked Luke.

Piett frowned at his enthusiasm. “This morning, we have been informed of it recently. Your father is in a briefing now.”

”I should go.”

”He told me to keep you out of it.”

”Oh for Force's sake, you know he doesn't want me in the war but I can't stay out of it! I'm leaving in a week to negotiate a peace treaty in the Outer Rim!”

Piett lowered his fork. “Um, about that...”

”What?” asked Luke.

”Lord Vader has already taken care of it.” said Piett, and Luke flopped down on the chair, exhaling loudly and rubbing his eyes. ”He said it was something he could work on via comm and that there was no need to send you to the other side of the galaxy for that.”

Luke closed his eyes. 

Piett continued. “I agree with him. Sending you there would be a waste of your time. If you want to do something I am sure he will find you an activity.”

”I'm not a child anymore. I don't need a babysitter or someone to change the holo programmes for me to keep me entertained.”

”I know, but–“

Luke stood up. “I am a crucial member in the fight against the Rebellion. I'm tired of being ordered around.”

”I know, but–“

Luke started pacing around the room. “This attack on Imperial Center, it had to be planned beforehand, therefore the security in the planet's atmosphere is lacking. Is that being investigated?”

”Yes.”

”And the security on the planet?”

”Yes. Everything is under control.”

Luke exhaled and clenched his fists. He didn't understand why he was so angry. It's not like it's the first rebel attack he's dealt with.

This one felt personal; the Rebellion felt personal.

”Luke, are you sure you're alright?” asked Piett from the table.

”I'm fine, I need to talk to my father.”

Piett looked at his watch. “He is still at the briefing I suggest you do not–“

Luke had already left the room, and Piett sighed.

*******

Of course Vader knew that Luke left the ship. He knew Luke had left the Executor yesterday and came back recently. His presence in the Force was sad for some reason, and Vader couldn't wait to get out of the briefing to go find him. He realised that he actually could do that, so he left the room and walked towards Luke's presence. He turned to a corridor and bumped into someone. “Luke?”

Luke stared at him, arms crossed and out of breath. 

”Did you run here?” asked Vader, frowning.

”A bit,” confessed Luke. ”I had to see you. Why aren't you at the briefing?” asked Luke, confused.

Vader blinked. “...I had to see you.”

Luke frowned and tilted his head to get them to walk. 

“Where have you been?” asked Vader, “I noticed that you left the ship.”

Luke couldn't tell him the truth. He just couldn't, and he realised that he didn't want to. ”I was out to take care of some things,” he said, and knew this wasn't an answer and he wouldn't get away with it. 

“What things?” asked Vader.

”Just...things.”

”Luke.”

Luke exploded. He had to know, even if this wasn't the right time to ask. If there was ever a right time. ”How did the clone wars end?” he asked, and Vader stopped on his tracks. Out of all things he expected his son to say, this was not it.

Vader let himself breathe for a few moments. “As you already know, the Emperor put an end to the Separatists and restored galactic peace.”

Luke's blood froze: his father was quoting word for word what Leia said he would say. 

“What Leia?” asked his father, “What does your Tooka have to do with the clone wars?”

Luke had been projecting, again. He really needed to shield better. ”How did this _galactic peace_ get restored?”

”The Emperor unified both sides of the war into one Empire.” said Vader.

Lies.

”What both sides? He controlled them both.” protested Luke.

Wrong thing to say.

Vader froze. Only a few people in the galaxy knew the truth. Luke had no way of knowing this unless he had spoken to a rebel. ”Son,” he said, and walked closer to tower over him, “With whom have you been speaking recently?”

Luke wasn't afraid of his father's intimidation tactics. They never worked on him. “So you're not denying it? The Emperor was behind the war in the first place?”

Vader blinked. “Why does this matter now?”

“The galaxy is being fed lies and you're allowing it to happen. That's why it matters.” said Luke, and walked away.

Vader put a hand on his shoulder and Luke froze in place. “You will not speak a word of what you have learned. Is that understood?” he demanded slowly, his voice icy cold.

Luke didn't dare turn around. 

“Son?” repeated Vader. The Force around him was cold and threatening, and Luke realised he didn't fear his father, but he was starting to fear Darth Vader.

Force, what was the difference?

”Yes, father.” he answered politely, and felt dark cold strings around his mind. Luke pushed them out, and Vader let him go. Luke shuddered all the way back to his rooms, and his brain didn't even process what Piett said to him.

Leia Organa was right.

The rebels, even if terrorists to him, were right: the Empire was a scam, and his father was leading it. And even worse, Luke would inherit it someday, if the Emperor didn't kill him first.

* * *

Vader had been wary of his son as of late. Luke didn't speak to him unless strictly necessary, and refused any attempts of communicating through the Force because his walls were so high that not even Vader, who taught him how to shield, could get past.

Luke had been receiving strange visits from Obi-Wan. He recognised the voice as Obi-Wan's, yet he had never physically seen the man. He had visited him twice since Dagobah. They didn't talk, Obi–Wan just stared at him with a disapproving frown. The man looked young, and was wearing traditional Jedi robes with volcanic ash on them.

One day Luke had had enough. He started pacing around his room, while Obi-Wan was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking at him.

”What do you want from me?” asked Luke.

Obi-Wan, the bastard, smirked. “Nothing. Last time I saw you you were just a few days old, it is strange seeing you all grown up.”

Luke stopped. “Did my father kill you?”

Obi-Wan moved to stand next to him. “He did, yes, but don't worry too much about it.”

Luke didn't understand the Jedi. They were so peaceful about everything and anything. A man had killed him in cold blood and there he stood, smiling at his son.

”Are you happy to see me? I'm the reason you're dead.” said Luke.

”Not exactly, I'm afraid. Darth Vader tried to kill me before you were even born. It was a long time coming issue.” explained Obi-Wan.

Long time coming issue? Were any of his father's past friends sane?

”Why would my father want to kill you?” asked Luke.

”He hasn't spoken about me, has he?” asked Obi-Wan, smiling shyly, “I am here because I sensed your distrust of your father.”

Ah, what's new. ”And you're here to add more distrust?” asked Luke, “You kept telling me my father was dead. What happened to that?”

Obi-Wan looked thoughtful. ”In a way, Anakin is dead, even if what is physically left of him remains alive.”

”Not thanks to you. You left him to die.” accused Luke.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. ”So did he.”

”It's different because you actually-," he ranted, and then stopped, "Wait, what does that supposed to mean?”

”He destroyed everything I cared about in less than a day. I left him to die, yes, but he did not cause me happiness either.”

Luke froze. “What do you mean? What did he do?”

”He pledged himself to a Sith Lord, killed all the Jedi on Coruscant, including children, betrayed me, almost killed your mother, and is still walking around calling himself Darth Vader. As if he's proud of what he's done, but he's in pain.”

Luke blinked. His father tried to kill his mother? Was any information he knew about his father true?

”I understand this is a lot to process. I have been hesitating whether to tell you all of this or not back in Dagobah, but you were...startled.”

Luke looked away. He didn't want to talk about Dagobah.

“Luke, you got angry at your own twin sister because she was against your father. Don't run away from this.” said Obi-Wan calmly. 

”My father said you were a traitor.”

Obi-Wan snorted calmly and stood in front of him. “A traitor to him? I didn't approve of his massive genocide and confronted him about it. He thought that your mother and I were plotting against him. I don't know what your definition of traitor is, but what I did does not sound like treason at all.”

Luke was speechless. “Why are you telling me all this?”

”Because Yoda was right. Sidious is tracking Leia down to have her eliminated. Once she's gone, he will come for you. You will be harder to kill because Vader will not allow him to kill you.”

”How do you know?” whispered Luke in pain. His vision of his father had changed in less than a day to the point that he didn't even recognise the man.

Obi-Wan frowned and crossed his arms. “I'm sorry?”

”How do you know he won't allow the Emperor to kill me?” pleaded Luke in a small voice. 

Obi-Wan's gaze on him pained and he swallowed. “I– it is because of what happened yesterday in the corridors, isn't it?”

Luke didn't answer.

”Anak– Vader is loyal to Palpatine and his Empire, but he pledges himself unconditionally to those he loves. If anyone dares to think murder in your direction he will kill them without second thoughts. I admit his reaction to you knowing the truth was...startling, to say the least, but I believe he was acting on impulses. We both know your father is an impulsive man.”

Luke smiled at that, and then saddened again. ”But it's Palpatine. He's a Sith Lord, he could kill Vader first and then get to me. And you've heard what he said yesterday! That I should keep the truth to myself. What does this even mean?”

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. “Anakin is torn, that is all.”

Luke turned around sharply. “Don't call him that.”

”Fine. Darth Vader is torn, that is all.” repeated Obi-Wan, tired.

Luke sat on the ground, legs crossed, and took his head in his hands. Obi-Wan followed him down, imitating his posture. They sat in silence for a while, Luke thinking and Obi-Wan shamelessly staring at him.

”You look so much like he did when he was your age.”

Luke snapped out of his thoughts and saw Obi-Wan looking at him fondly. ”Is that why you're obsessed with me doing the right now? So at least some similar version of Vader will turn out to do the right thing?”

Obi-Wan knew the words were said to kill, but he didn't take the blow. “And there is your mother's sharp tongue.”

Luke freaked out. “My mother was a rebel.”

”Yes,” said Obi-Wan calmly, “In a way so was I, and Ahsoka, and everyone else your father betrayed.”

”Who is Ahsoka?” asked Luke, frowning.

”Oh dear. Does your father tell you anything about his life?”

Luke's only sources about his father's past were a frog that lived in a swamp, a ghost and his twin sister. ”Who is Ahsoka?” he repeated.

“Your father's apprentice.”

Luke's eyes sparkled. “He had an apprentice?!”

”Yes, but she left the Jedi Order before the purge happened. Luckily she is still alive.”

Luke smiled in mischief and Obi-Wan could recognise that Skywalker smile anywhere. It meant no good. He sighed. “Do you want to find her?”

Luke grinned.

”Fine. Do tell her I sent you, or else I'm afraid she will blast you.” said Obi-Wan, standing up.

”But she knows who I am, right?” asked Luke, confused.

“Precisely.”

Admiral Piett paced up and down Lord Vader's personal hangar looking for Luke. He had ordered his ship to be prepared for take off, and the last time he saw the boy he was sulking.

Now he was grinning. Luke stood outside his personal ship, happily talking to a new mechanic that was confused as to why the Imperial Prince was being so nice.

Piett ordered the mechanic to leave and addressed Luke. “Where are you going?! Your father demanded your presence a long time ago.”

Luke was annoyed. “I'm going out on a personal thing. Tell him I will talk to him once I return. It won't take long.”

“I cannot do that. It is my duty to stop you from leaving the ship when Lord Vader requests your presence!” whispered Piett.

Luke frowned as he pulled a bag over his shoulder. “Did he make that one up?” he grinned, walking up the ramp.

Piett followed him. “It doesn't matter. You cannot leave! It's an order.”

They were already inside the ship, and Luke placed the bag on the floor. He sighed. “Firmus, look, this is important, but if you want to, you can come with me.”

Piett's gaze said it all. ”I am the commanding officer of this ship, I cannot leave at any costs.”

Luke shrugged. “Alright, I'm leaving then.”

”Luke–!”

”See you soon!”

The ramp started closing and Piett had to run to get out. Luke exclaimed a loud _Sorry_ before leaving. Piett took his hat off and removed a sweat. Luke had been less volatile and impulsive when he was ten years old and Vader prohibited him from flying a TIE Fighter...which Luke did anyway.


	4. New Chances

Obi-Wan told him where to find his father's apprentice. Luke landed on the planet of Corstris, hoping to find some abandoned hut where another Yoda lived.

He didn't know what to expect of someone whose Master was his father. He was expecting someone ruthless and authoritative, who according to Obi-Wan, might shoot him the moment he makes himself seen.

Sounded fine to him.

What he didn't expect, however, was to feel another Force presence in the planet that stared curiously at him, and then disappeared. He supposed he was famous enough that his father's apprentice recognised him. 

Obi-Wan told him the exact coordinates, and Luke flew towards a camp with a bonfire in the middle. It was already night in the planet, so he walked across the forest with his red lightsaber humming in front of him.

Everything happened too fast.

His lightsaber deactivated at first, making the forest pitch dark, and then he fell to the ground unconscious. A few hours later he awoke with a headache and felt some sort of cloth over his eyes, and for a moment understood that he was the Imperial Prince and he had walked himself into a forest of a planet with rebel ties.

Perhaps he should have thought this through.

“You're awake.” said a male voice. 

“What do you want?” asked Luke, reaching out into the Force but finding that he couldn't. He couldn't move his wrists either, he was cuffed.

”No Prince, we ask you that. What do you want from us? We find you here, alone at night. Has the royal life finally driven you crazy enough to come here alone?”

”No.”

”Then what do you want?”

”Untie me.” ordered Luke.

”No.”

”Where's my lightsaber?” asked Luke.

”Not telling you.”

Luke sighed. “I am looking for someone named Ahsoka. Is she here?”

The man became silent and Luke heard murmuring around him. How many people were listening? All his proper etiquette classes and public speeches in front of thousands of people didn't prepare him for this. 

“Ahsoka Tano, you mean?” asked someone else. 

“I don't know, maybe. I only got one name.”

”What do you want with Ahsoka?”

”I came to talk.”

“The Imperial Prince doesn't just come to talk with Ahsoka Tano.”

What did Ahsoka Tano do that everyone spoke so highly of her? Did everyone know she was apprentice to Anakin Skywalker?

”You can keep me here all tied up and I won't even try to escape. I just need to talk to her.”

Someone snorted. ”Tano is coming here anyway.”

Luke felt nervous, as if he was meeting an estranged family member. Minutes passed that felt like hours, and Luke still felt eyes on him even if he didn't have the Force. 

He heard footsteps and people standing up. “Ahsoka?” asked Luke.

A female voice answered. “You said you captured Darth Vader, not some kid.”

The man from before spoke again. “We saw a red lightsaber, cape, got confused. Either way, this kid demands to speak to you.”

”Who is he?” she asked.

”Are you kidding me? It's Vader's son!”

There was silence.

Luke had never felt so uncomfortable in his life. The cloth around his eyes was removed and he struggled to adjust to the light.

He was inside a big tent with around five other people inside, keeping watch on him. He wore weird handcuffs and his legs were also tied. In front of him stood a Togruta woman, studying him steadily. He felt intimidated under her watch, and her posture screamed military. 

“Hello. Are you Ahsoka Tano?” asked Luke, slightly afraid of the woman.

Ahsoka blinked. “I am. You're Luke Skywalker?”

Luke nodded fast. Ahsoka sat down in front of him, and took his face in one hand and tilted it around. He was frowning but didn't dare protest. The grip she had on him was far too similar to Vader's.

”You're my father's apprentice.” said Luke. 

Ahsoka stayed silent. “ _Was_.”

There was something dark in her tone of voice, and Luke slowly started to understand that she might as well have been his father's apprentice.

”I was Anakin's apprentice, yes. What do you want?” she asked sharply.

Luke smiled shyly at her. “It's nice to meet you.”

She frowned. “Did Vader send you?”

”No. Obi-Wan did.”

Ahsoka deadpanned at him. “Again?”

”What do you mean again? It's the first time I'm meeting you.” he protested shyly. He was intimidated by her, more than his father intimidated him. 

She rubbed her temples. “Forget it. What do you want?”

”Well, Obi-Wan sent me here to meet you. I wanted to know more about my father.”

She looked at him sharply and turned to leave. “You know well enough about your father, Prince.”

”Wait! I– I know about Darth Vader, but recently I discovered that I know close to nothing about...” he swallowed, “Anakin Skywalker.”

There, he said it.

Ahsoka looked at him curiously. “Anakin was never much of a talker about his personal life.”

”But you knew him.” pleaded Luke.

She looked at his cuffs. “Don't those hurt?”

”Should they?” he asked.

”They're Force suppressants.” she said, raising a brow. She was still cautious around him, he could tell. "They're designed to keep you from using the Force."

”Ah, makes sense.” he said, blushing. Force, what was happening to him? He had never been so nervous when meeting someone before.

“What do you mean ‘makes sense’? Do you know how much these things hurt to a Force-sensitive?”

”Are you Force-sensitive?” asked Luke.

Ahsoka blinked. “Yes. What kind of apprentice did you think I was to Anakin? He was my Jedi Master, I was his padawan for three years.”

Luke nodded, mesmerised at finally learning something about his father. Ahsoka crossed her arms, concerned. “Are you sure those things aren't hurting you?”

”No, I'm fine. I can't use the Force, but that's probably for the best anyway. I want to establish some trust and I'm sure having Darth Vader's son running around this...camp, or whatever it is, won't earn it.”

”Why do you care about my trust, Prince?” she spat.

Ah, there it was.

It all made sense to him now. The mixed reactions he was getting from her were because he was the Imperial Prince. ”Are you a rebel?” he asked.

She smirked and sat down in front of him. “Smart little one, aren't you?”

He didn't answer. “I'm not here to fight you, I promise.”

”You wouldn't want to anyway. I beat your father, I'll beat you in seconds.”

Luke decided that Ahsoka Tano was the coolest person he had ever met. 

”Why did Master Kenobi send you?” she asked.

Luke blinked. “Who?”

”Obi-Wan.” 

”Ah. I caught my father in a lie and I am doubting the entire Empire, even if I'm still the heir when the Emperor dies.”

Ahsoka sighed and shut her eyes. “If he ever dies...” she said under breath.

”I'm sorry? What was that?” asked Luke politely.

”Nothing, go on.”

Luke continued. “Obi-Wan told me what Vader did to end the clone wars, but the version I learnt growing up is different. I think I can help my father turn back to the light.”

There, he said it. He hadn't even admitted it to himself yet.

Ahsoka stared at him like she would stare at a dying frog. “That is impossible. Anakin fell to the dark out of his own volition.”

”I was told he was panicked because he thought my mother was plotting against him.”

Ahsoka's eyes sparkled with something Luke didn't recognise. “Who was your mother?” she asked conspiratorially.

Luke swallowed, trying to remember the strange name. “Padmé Amidala?”

She grinned, and Luke could barely stop himself from grinning back. What was she so happy about? He didn't know. It didn't matter. Her excitement was contagious.

She peaked out of the tent. “Rex! You owe me fifty!”

Luke didn't understand what was going on, but smiled anyway.

He heard a male voice shout. “For what now?!”

”Anakin was sleeping with Senator Amidala!” she exclaimed, but the other man didn't answer, “I shit you not, he was!”

”How the hell do you know that?” screamed the other man.

”Come over here and see it for yourself!” she shouted, and stayed with her head outside the tent.

A man dressed in rusty blue armor entered the tent and stopped on his tracks. Ahsoka was grinning and looking at them both. ”I know. I know!” she laughed.

”Is this-?” asked Rex, speechless.

”Anakin and Padmé's kid, yes.” affirmed Ahsoka.

”I-“

”I know! Rex! We were right!” she exclaimed and almost jumped.

Rex leaned down towards Luke, as if inspecting an old fossil. “He's the imperial Prince, right? I saw him on a holo a few years ago but now up close...Force, he's a mini General Skywalker.“

Luke blinked as he allowed the man to tilt his head up and down. He looked at Ahsoka for help, but she was still grinning. ”Um, who are you?” asked Luke.

Rex looked at him, almost surprised that Luke could speak. “I'm Captain Rex, used to serve your father's legion in the clone wars.”

Luke blinked. “I- I'm afraid I don't know who you are, sorry.”

Rex exhaled and looked sad, coming down from his high. “Your father was a good man...” he said, and then addressed Ahsoka, and whispered under his breath, “What's his name?”

”Luke.” answered Ahsoka.

”Well, Luke, your father saved my life many times to count. I'm sure if he was in command of this war we would have won already.” 

Luke blinked. They were talking about his father as if he was dead. “You do know that my father is still alive, right?”

Ahsoka and Rex crossed their arms. “What your father did after he became Darth Vader is unforgivable. He is dead to us.”

”I understand.” said Luke. He didn't know his father back then, but these people clearly respected him and mourned him. 

Rex frowned. “You understand? How? You're the Imperial Prince. You shouldn't even be at a rebel camp.”

“I am the Imperial Prince, and you're right, I shouldn't be here– but I understand your mourning.”

Rex protested. “I'm not–“

”You are. I don't have to know you to see that you miss Anakin Skywalker. Especially if you are fighting a war against him this time. It's like fighting a brother, it must be hard, and I am sorry.” said Luke.

Ahsoka and Rex stared at him. Rex coughed and addressed her. “He really is Senator Amidala's son.”

”Yeah, best of both worlds huh?”

”Tell me about it,” said Rex, and then frowned, “Wait, then who is the girl from the other tent?”

Luke frowned. “What girl?”

Ahsoka panicked. “Um, Rex. Now is not the time. Please leave us.”

Luke was starting to grow suspicious. Rex left the tent and Ahsoka couldn't even look at him. 

“What girl?” repeated Luke darkly.

“Someone appeared a few hours ago looking for me, said Obi-Wan sent her too.” explained Ahsoka, "I still have to go see her."

Luke shut his eyes and groaned loudly. Obi-Wan was a _bastard_. “Is it Leia Organa?” he demanded angrily.

Ahsoka's eyes widened. “The Alderaanian Princess? Force, I wish! She's leading the Rebellion even after everything she's been through, and–“

Luke was slowly taking deep breaths in and out.

In and out.

”I saw Anakin do this all the time. You're mad. Why.” she demanded.

Luke took another deep breath. ”Because Leia Organa is my twin sister.”

Ahsoka froze.

She didn't even blink.

”Rex?!" she shouted, "You owe me a hundred!”

* * *

Leia arrived at the rebel camp after Obi-Wan had tormented her for days just by staring at her. After a few days he told her to find Ahsoka Tano, and she didn't even need the coordinates to know where Fulcrum was.

Ahsoka Tano was a valuable member of the Rebellion, and Leia led it. She knew where everyone was at any given moment. It wasn't hard to track her down.

The rebels in Corstris welcomed her warmly, and she was in a tent hearing the latest reports about their missions in the sector. 

She was told Ahsoka would be returning soon, and she waited. She heard voices screaming over someone that owed fifty to someone else, and she smiled at herself. She was glad there was still some humanity left in the galaxy, somewhere without a single imperial breathing down their necks.

“Sorry to interrupt, is Ahsoka coming any time soon?” she asked the people in the tent.

“Oh, she's already here,” said someone else, “She's talking to the prisoner.”

Leia frowned and smiled politely. “You have a prisoner?”

”Yeah, we found Darth Vader's son walking through the forest alone. He asked to talk to Ahsoka too.”

The trees around the camp started to shake slightly. Leia just stared at the ground. If the Imperial Prince was here, then everyone had to run. She knew Ahsoka was a Jedi so she could probably fight the Prince, but...

When Leia didn't answer, the group became worried. “Is something wrong, General? Do you want to talk to him?”

She smiled politely. It came off as creepy. “Yes please.”

They guided her towards a tent on the other side of the camp and left.

She took a deep breath in and out.

In and out.

She heard a female voice speak inside. ”I saw Anakin do this all the time. You're mad. Why.” she demanded.

There was silence, and Leia frowned at the use of Vader's former name. Obi-Wan told her that Ahsoka used to be Anakin's apprentice, and it took all of Leia's willpower not to have her investigated for treason.

Having ties to Darth Vader in any way or another was dangerous to the Alliance.

Ah, but who was she to speak?

He heard the voice that had haunted her for days. ”Because Leia Organa is my sister.”

She was going to kill him. Who did he think he was, spreading around her biggest secret like it was nothing?

”Rex?! You owe me a hundred!” screamed Ahsoka.

Leia entered the tent without second thoughts. Ahsoka Tano stared at her, almost scared, and Luke couldn't even look at her.

Ahsoka bowed curtly. “General. Apologies for the rudeness. When did you arrive?”

Luke was freaking out. Ahsoka was treating Leia with more respect than she treated him! He outranked her on many more levels! He was the Imperial Prince, for Force's sake!

”It is nothing, Commander Tano.” answered Leia politely. 

Ahsoka wouldn't say this out loud, but she was freaking out. Knowing that Leia Organa was Anakin's daughter made so much sense now. Her strength, her perseverance, her strategic mind, her willpower. It was all Leia, yes, but Ahsoka couldn't stop herself from comparing it to Anakin's.

Force, Luke was right.

She did miss him.

”What did you wish to discuss with me?” asked Ahsoka.

Leia glared at Luke. He didn't even look at her.

Pathetic.

”What is he doing here?” she asked.

Ahsoka blinked. She felt like she was speaking to Anakin all over again. Except that while Luke looked like Anakin, Leia acted like Anakin. “Um, I'm not sure. He said Obi-Wan Kenobi sent him here.”

”He sent me too, to talk to you.” said Leia.

Ahsoka frowned. "Well, here I am. Talk."

Luke spoke. "Obi-Wan and Master Yoda said the Emperor is planning to kill us both and I need your guidance."

Ahsoka crossed her arms. "Why would Palpatine kill you? You're already the heir to the Empire."

Leia intervened. "Yes, but he doesn't like having two powerful Force-sensitives roaming around, probably threatening to kill him."

"But we are the Rebellion, we are planning to kill him." said Ahsoka.

"Yes but not directly. He fears that the Prince and I will turn against him and kill him."

Ahsoka thought about it. "If Palpatine, of all people, is so afraid of you then perhaps that is a good thing. You two have an opportunity to change things, and I'm not saying this because I'm a rebel," she said and turned to Luke, "You on the other hand...Vader will kill you if he finds out you're thinking of treason."

Luke blinked. His father wouldn't do that, probably...but Vader felt like a stranger to him nowadays. "I have not yet made my mind up over my future actions, and I cannot kill the Emperor. It is impossible."

Leia scoffed. "It's not impossible. He's human, isn't he?"

Ahsoka made a face and shook her head. "Eh...he's a Sith Lord."

Luke panicked. Almost nobody knew that. "Um, how do you know that?"

Ahsoka smiled. "Please. The last days before the Republic fell Obi-Wan told me there was a Sith Lord in the Senate, and then Palpatine proclaims the Empire and all the Jedi are killed. It wasn't hard to put two plus two together."

Leia blinked. "What's a Sith Lord?"

Ahsoka and Luke stared at her. Luke remembered that she didn't know how to use the Force at all, unlike him, who had learned to make objects float before he even started walking.

"A Sith Lord is someone who uses the dark side of the Force," explained Ahsoka, "The Emperor is a Sith Lord, Darth Vader is a Sith Lord..." she trailed, and then glanced at Luke, "the Prince should also be one but I don't see any darkness in him."

Luke smiled. "That's because I'm not. I don't like the dark side, I've seen what it does to my brain. It's toxic. I just use the Force."

Ahsoka nodded. "Fine," she said, and then lowered herself down to look at his eyes, "but hear this, Luke Skywalker. If I sense anything dark in you the moment I take the Force-suppressant cuffs off, I will incapacitate you. Is that clear?"

Luke shivered. "Yes ma'am."

Leia intervened. "Wait wait, those things suppress his connection to the Force?" she asked, pointing at the cuffs, and Ahsoka nodded. "Don't take them off. He's dangerous."

"Then they're staying on," said Ahsoka, "I will not have you hurting us because your father is a maniac."

Luke sighed. "He's not a maniac-"

Ahsoka snapped. "Where do you think you're getting your homicidal urges from, hmm? Last time I saw Vader he almost killed me too."

"What?" whispered Leia, "Are you alright?"

Ahsoka shook her head, still glaring at Luke. "I don't care that you're having some good thoughts for once in your life! Darth Vader still raised you, and I don't trust you for a second." she spat.

Leia's guilt was threatening to take over her calmness. Whether she admitted it or not, she was still biologically related to Darth Vader. Perhaps it didn't matter, because Luke also was and he was homicidal, but she wasn't. Her own parents raised her better.

"He hasn't spoken to me about you," confessed Luke, "But he was very haunted this one time a few years ago when he came back from..." he frowned, trying to remember, "Malachor?"

Ahsoka nodded curtly. She was starting to remember that day, and started getting anxious. "I'm going out for some air. Don't kill each other while I'm gone." she said tiredly. If Anakin's kids had his temper, she wasn't sure she could handle them.

The siblings were left alone in the tent, and Leia took a step back, nostrils flared. Luke looked around the tent absentmindedly, ignoring the awkward silence in the air.

"You're not here only because Obi-Wan sent you," said Leia, "Have you asked Vader about the clone wars?"

Luke clenched his jaw. "Why do you care."

Leia snorted and walked closer to him. She lowered herself to stare at him in the eyes, even if Luke was avoiding eye contact. 

"You have. That's why you're here," explained Leia, she didn't need to have a sixth sense to know how people worked, "You wouldn't have come all the way here, to a rebel camp, if you were sure your father was holy."

"I never said my father was holy." said Luke.

Leia rolled her eyes. "What did he tell you, then?"

Luke wondered whether he should tell her or not. "He praised the Emperor for restoring peace in the galaxy and denied that the war was orchestrated by Palpatine."

Leia smirked. "So what now, you've had a spark of guilt inside you and decided to do some good, Prince?"

Luke finally looked at her. "No. I'm here to seek some answers. Then I'll decide what I do, Princess."

*******

"I will train you."

Leia nodded. She didn't want to be trained, but she supposed it would be useful to know how to use the Force. She saw what Vader was capable of, if she could use this same power for good...

The options were endless.

"However," said Ahsoka, "We don't have much time. We are still fighting a war, and we're leaving the planet soon."

Leia nodded. "I am aware. I will try to assign someone else to this legion, if you wish, but could you teach me just the basics for tonight?"

Ahsoka smiled. Leia had clearly gotten all the good sides of Anakin, while Luke...

Force, he was still in that tent.

"Would it bother you to have him near? I don't trust him alone in that tent." said Ahsoka.

Leia clenched her jaw. "I would much rather not have him around at all, but if you think it's safer for everyone then sure." She could put her feelings and fear aside for the wellbeing of others. Plus, Luke couldn't use the Force now.

Ahsoka got Luke out of the tent and they walked into the woods. Ahsoka stopped for a moment and closed her eyes, reaching out into the Force to see if the woods were safe.

"What are you doing?" asked Leia.

Luke smirked. He knew exactly what she was doing.

Ahsoka opened her eyes again. "The area is safe, come on." She pushed Luke a bit and he walked in front of them, hands behind his back and Ahsoka's hand on his shoulder.

They reached a clear and Ahsoka put Luke down on the ground, leaning against a tree. She tied his legs with a tight knot. 

Leia looked around. "So, now what?"

"Sit."

Leia sat down on the grass, and Ahsoka did the same, in front of her.

"The Force is all over the galaxy, it's an invisible energy that you can control and shape to what you want," she explained, and Luke saw that she was using the Force to levitate a small branch behind Leia's back.

Ahsoka continued. "You can feel emotions, sense people, and the stronger your connection is to the Force, the more attuned your senses are."

The branch levitated and was sent flying towards Leia's back, and Leia sensed it and stopped it. Ahsoka smiled. "Good job. You don't even need any training."

"What is the actual training about?" asked Leia. "Is there a book?"

"No. The Jedi used to have a Jedi Code, but it's outdated."

Luke snorted. "And pretty useless."

"Says the son of a Sith Lord." said Ahsoka.

Luke made a face. "They prohibited attachments! You couldn't even date anyone."

Leia frowned. "But Anakin dated Padmé, right?"

Ahsoka blushed. "I don't know." She felt really awkward talking about her friends' lives with their own children. "I suspected they were together but of course, since it was forbidden, I didn't say anything. But they weren't exactly subtle about it either."

Luke was having so much fun. "My father never spoke of this."

"Anakin didn't, either." said Ahsoka.

"What do you mean they weren't subtle?" asked Leia.

Ahsoka groaned. "Anakin was very distracted whenever Senator Amidala was around. He thought no one noticed."

Luke smiled but chose to stay silent. 

Leia sighed, and rubbed her eyes. She had no interest in knowing about Darth Vader's personal life. "So the Jedi forbade attachments, why?"

"The Jedi were taught to be selfless and have love and respect for all living forms. Attachments were a path to the dark side because you lost your path." explained Ahsoka.

Leia frowned. "I have friends and I'm pretty fine with that."

Ahsoka nodded. "I didn't agree with that rule either. The Jedi Order had its faults, that's why I left."

Luke stopped. "You left the Jedi Order?"

Ahsoka nodded, lost in memories. "Yes. I was lucky to survive the purge."

Luke didn't understand anything. His father hated the Jedi Order with a passion. "So why didn't my father leave the Order then?"

"I don't know. It's not something you can just leave behind. But I think he should have. All of this could have been prevented." said Ahsoka sharply.

Perhaps if he had, Anakin would still be alive.

Ahsoka stood up and gave Leia one of her lightsabers. She took it with shaky hands, keeping it away from her body.

"It's not going to hurt you. Get a firmer grip on it. It is an extension of your body." said Ahsoka.

"I've seen what this thing can do. Trust me when I say I don't want it to be a part of me."

"I understand, but it is still a weapon. Blasters have killed a lot of people, but you still use them, don't you?" asked Ahsoka.

Leia nodded.

Luke was bored out of his mind. He learnt all of this when he was five years old. Ahsoka got distracted for a moment, and Luke recognized that gaze far too well.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, concerned.

Ahsoka didn't hear him. Her heart was beating in her ears.

Luke knew what it meant. "It's my fault. I'm sorry." he said.

Leia frowned. "What's going on?!"

Ahsoka was panicking, her gaze lost in the forest. 

Luke looked around, trying to see if they were too late. "You have to go, now!"

"What is going on?!" demanded Leia.

Ahsoka spoke. "Vader's here."

"How? Why?" asked Leia, "The camp is well hidden to-"

Luke interrupted. "It is me. He must have tracked the ship to here."

"You didn't turn off the location?!" asked Leia.

"I did!" protested Luke, "But he's a genius! He could track me even if I came here walking."

Ahsoka agreed. "General, we need to go, now."

Leia looked at Luke and couldn't believe what she was about to say. "What about him?" she groaned, pointing at him.

Luke urged them to run. "I'll be fine. Just go!"

"Say a word of this to him and-"

Luke looked at her. "I won't, trust me." he said genuinely.

"I don't."

"You don't have any other choice." said Luke.

Ahsoka and Leia ran back towards the camp, and Luke closed his eyes, still pretty much tied to the tree. He knew his father wouldn't hurt him, but if he discovered that there was a rebel camp a few minutes away and Luke was tied up...the camp would be a bloodbath.

Vader couldn't sense his son on the planet even if his ship had landed there a few hours ago. He stormed through the forests and found a small clear, and decided to stop there to get a better signal and try contacting Luke again.

Luke saw Vader on the other side of the clear, and shouted. "Father! I'm here!"

Vader turned around sharply and walked towards his son. He frowned when he saw Luke tied to a tree, wearing Force-suppressant cuffs. 

Luke grinned at him, guilty. "Hi."

Vader stared at him for what felt like hours. The Force felt strange in the area, but Vader didn't want to concentrate on that. He was focused on the Force-suppressant cuffs.

Luke was starting to get uncomfortable. "Um. Will you help me or...?"

Vader snapped out of his confusion and leaned down to untie Luke. Once he removed the Force-suppressant cuffs, the Force exploded from inside of Luke. The boy had to close his eyes as he felt his senses expanding across the entire planet. He could breathe again.

"I really don't want to ask how you ended up in this situation." said Vader. He was so tired. He should be resting, not searching for his son in a strange forest.

Luke got up and stretched, and placed a hand on his father's shoulder. "I will tell you later. Can we leave now, please?"

Vader was already planning an interrogation on their way back home, so they left the planet. Before they jumped to hyperspace, Luke sensed Leia's worry as if it was his own.


	5. Elastic Strings

Luke couldn't stop thinking about it. Days aboard an imperial flagship, wearing imperial clothes, being the heir to the Empire made him feel cold. Piett asked him about his day, but Luke never explained the truth about how he felt.

He was doubting everything and everyone he knew since birth, and it took a frog, a scary sister and a ghost to do that. His father talked to him about the war and the latest missions led against the Rebellion, but Luke found himself not listening.

Those people were right, even if the execution of their ideas was wrong. He couldn't listen to his own father describing potential ways to destroy entire fleets worth of people because 'it was the right thing to do.'

It wasn't, but he couldn't protest without raising suspicion, so when his father assigned him to deal with another rebel insurrection he accepted reluctantly.

“Is something the matter? You have been begging to fight in the war for weeks, and when I do give you the opportunity you are discouraged. Why?” asked Vader

Luke snorted in panic. “I'm not discouraged. I'm just thinking.”

Vader wasn't having it. ”You are panicking.”

”No I'm not, I'm thinking.”

”Do you always panic when you think?” asked Vader humorously, and Luke made a face. 

“I just need to think of an attack plan and then I will stop panicking, I promise.” he said tiredly.

Vader stopped. “Have you not been listening to a word I said? You are not to attack, you are to eliminate their fleet. You will not be leaving the bridge.”

Luke blinked. “Um, what? Why would I need to eliminate them?”

”Son? They are rebels.” said Vader warily, “Are you ill? Do you need a doctor?”

Being ill would make more sense than Luke's actual reasons for hesitating. “No, I'm just tired, that's all.”

Vader crossed his arms. “You have been doing nothing since I rescued you on Corstris.”

Luke groaned. “I have been doing things!” he protested. No matter how old he was, his father still found all his activities useless in the grand scheme of things.

”Following Admiral Piett around is not doing things,” said Vader, “If you wished to do something, you only had to ask.”

Luke didn't have it in him to continue arguing with Vader. He said he was going to sleep, even if it was early, and Vader did not comment on it. He was worried for his son, but he wouldn't press him about it. He knew that when he was his age all he needed was to cool off somewhere. While his own anger used to be explosive, his son's anger was cold. 

Luke walked absentmindedly aboard the halls of the Executor, and accidentally ran into a young cadet, fresh out of the Academy. The cadet apologised under his breath and froze when he saw Luke's face.

Ah, not this again.

The cadet paled and stood with his back straight, saluting him militarily. Luke had insisted, for as long as he knew how to talk, that the practice was unnecessary, but neither Vader nor the Emperor listened to him.

The cadet was terrified that he had just bumped into Darth Vader's son. The Imperial Prince, possible future Emperor. 

Luke sighed and smiled shyly. “You're new here?” he asked casually.

The cadet didn't dare blink. “Yes, your Highness.”

Luke nodded. “Cool. What squadron are you in?” he asked.

The poor cadet wanted to cry. “The second one, sir.”

Sir? The cadet was older than him, and Luke laughed under his breath. The cadet didn't dare move. 

“Okay, good luck around here then. I've heard they're thinking of adding more recruits.”

”I was not aware, sir.” said the cadet.

Luke frowned. “How come? Where were you going?”

The cadet was silent. “Training, sir.”

Luke's eyes widened. “Oh! Please go on then, I shouldn't keep you waiting.”

The cadet blinked once, unsure of what to do. Was this an order or was he testing him?

Luke sighed. “I mean it, go. I don't even know your name, I can't do anything to you.”

The cadet nodded and walked away, and Luke wished him good luck again. It was the strangest day of the cadet's life. He heard stories about Darth Vader and how many pilots died under him, and when he ran into his son he expected someone terrifying.

The boy was strangely nice to him. 

Luke jogged around, trying to get rid of his nervous energy, and went to his quarters. A couple hours later Piett visited him, as he always did around that time.

Piett smiled. Luke looked more cheerful than the last time he saw him. “Feeling better?” he asked.

“Eh, a bit. Vader's sending me to kill rebels tomorrow.” he said sarcastically.

Piett blinked, taking the situation seriously. “Where to? Drogheda?”

Luke nodded.

”Ah, they have been a nuisance in the system for far too long. You should be honoured to take them out.”

Luke's heart shattered into pieces. How could the kindest person he knew think so little about human lives?

“Yes, an honor indeed.” whispered Luke.

Next morning he woke up feeling like he hadn't slept. Piett's words still swam in his head: he should be honoured. His father would be proud of him...

...at the cost of lives, of people who were right. And he had to kill them all in a few hours. He was taken to the Devastator to make the shot from there, and the bridge greeted him as they would greet his father. Suddenly Luke's black cape, dragging on the floor behind him, seemed very heavy.

He looked at the planet below, and reached out into the Force. It was so full of precious life. They were only going to send squadrons to one particular spot of the planet, but still.

People would die today, and for what?

"Ready to fire, your Highness." announced someone below.

Luke looked around and looked at the planet one last time, and opened his mouth to speak but something else got his attention. It was the Force on the planet, and one particular presence found his. 

They stared at each other through the Force, even if they couldn't even see their ships from the distance.

Leia Organa was on that planet, and the rebels were defenceless because the imperial attack was well prepared. Leia Organa, the girl he met a few days ago- was going to die.

He realized he had his mouth open, and the officers below were confused. "Ready to fire, your Highness?" they repeated anxiously.

The Force was silent, watching what he would choose, knowing that he had made his choice hours ago.

"Retreat."

The officers blinked. "Your Highness?"

Luke didn't want to regret it. "I said retreat and leave the planet," he ordered, and turned around to leave the bridge, already being followed by questioning admirals, "It is a waste of our time and effort. The rebels are armed," he lied. 

One of the Admirals that was following him said their intel said otherwise. Luke glared at him and the Admiral went quiet. "The Empire is already wasting enough military resources in the Mid Rim, we cannot afford to lose more squadrons on a planet insignificant to us." justified Luke. The Admirals didn't agree, but they couldn't say that to Darth Vader's son. 

Down in the planet, Leia had been staring at the sky for a few minutes. She felt Luke's presence too. "We need to abandon the planet, now." she said.

"Why?"

"An imperial flagship is in the atmosphere," she said, confused and scared, "Don't ask me how I know this but we have to leave, now."

She felt Luke's presence disappearing like a dot in the sky, and once the rebel base had been properly evacuated, the imperial flagship blew their base up. 

She hated him, she disapproved of him, she wanted him dead: but perhaps her connection to him, even if weird, could be useful to the Alliance. She would never say she was related to him by blood, let alone to Darth Vader, but...

If she could feel him when he was around that might save lives, and that's all that mattered.

*******

Darth Vader was fuming. All his years of parenting never prepared him for this. You gave a child what they wanted for weeks on a shiny plate and then they refused it. He was now answering all the comms from the Devastator as to why the Imperial Prince left the ship abruptly and didn't lead the attack on Drogheda.

He couldn't feel his son anywhere in the system, which meant he still was in hyperspace. Admiral Piett stood next to Vader, equally worried. "Perhaps he received some new intel and thought it best not to proceed?" he suggested.

"No," barked Vader, "the Devastator followed through with the attack, and the rebels escaped."

Oh dear. 

Piett looked away. He didn't want to argue with Vader. 

*******

Luke left the Devastator but didn't leave the system. He knew the rebels had another base in the sector, so he landed in the planet in the middle of a clear and stayed in his ship. He could practically feel his father's anger even if they were systems apart. He had no idea how he would explain his unexpected retreat. 

He felt Leia Organa's presence on the planet again, and thought about what he would do. He didn't want to see her, but... He had saved her life. Maybe he could walk by and say hello?

That was a stupid idea. He was the Imperial Prince, Darth Vader's son, the Heir to the Empire- he couldn't chat with the enemy. 

But he had seen the enemy train, and the enemy was biologically related to him, so...

He sighed. This was stupid. He would get shot the moment she saw him.

He got interrupted out of his thoughts by a loud knock on the ship's ramp. He opened it slowly, and froze when he saw Leia pointing a blaster at him. He raised his arms and walked out of the ship and into the clear slowly. The grass was low and a fading dark green, and the cold wind made his hair float around.

Leia stared at him, some strands of her hair also floating around. She had a blaster pointed at him, and her arms weren't shaking in the slightest.

Luke wouldn't have time to raise his lightsaber if she shot him.

This was bad.

He made a mental note not to underestimate Leia's anger. From what he knew of her, it was very equal to his father's, even if he would never tell her. He wanted to live.

"Why did you do that?" she asked angrily. 

Luke blinked. "Your base didn't deserve to be destroyed."

"Why this base? There was an attack a few days ago on another base and it was destroyed."

Luke knew she wanted him to confess. He couldn't fool her with big words like he might others. "The people in it didn't deserve to die."

She snorted. "The people? You mean me? Tell me, if I wasn't there, would you have shot?" she asked.

He still had his arms raised, and looked at the ground. He couldn't lie to her because she would see through it immediately. "Yes."

She snorted angrily and shook her head. "You're an arrogant selfish elitistic bastard. Did you even know the base I'm talking about was Ahsoka's? Rex and her barely made it out alive!" she spat.

Luke froze, and from the shock he lowered his arms. She immediately tightened her grip on the blaster, and he raised his arms back. "Are they stable?!" he asked.

Leia was so confused. "Is that your way of asking if they're okay? I won't tell you how they are, or where they are, you don't deserve to know that."

Luke didn't take the offense. He was genuinely worried for the two people that treated him nicely when they should have killed him on the spot. 

"Why did you come here, Your Highness?", asked Leia, "To get some gratitude for doing the right thing? Because you're not getting any."

Luke blinked. "No, I'm- I came here to think before I went back home to..." he looked around and sighed loudly, "You know. The backlash."

Leia blinked for a few moments, confused, and then lowered her blaster. "You were ordered to take the shot," she suggested, and Luke nodded guiltily, "Did he even ask for your opinion?"

They didn't need to say who He was- it was a ghost that haunted them everywhere, both in their own different ways. Darth Vader haunted Leia because he had destroyed everything she stood for, and Vader haunted Luke because he was worried about him.

Two sides of the same coin.

"He assumed I would do it. To serve the Empire, to make him proud...I knew I couldn't do it, but he didn't know that because I was afraid that he would think I'm-"

Leia interrupted him. "Stop it, I don't care. What are you doing here then?" she asked.

He exhaled. "I wanted to talk to you."

She raised an eyebrow. "What for? I have nothing to say to you."

Luke frowned hysterically. "Nothing to say to me?! Did you forget the part where the Emperor is planning to kill us both?" he asked, frustrated and angry, and didn't realize he was walking closer to her. "Or are we going to pretend that didn't happen?"

She took a few steps back and pointed the blaster at him again. "Another step and you will get hurt."

"Fine," he said, and raised his arms again, "I'm just saying. If the victims know about the crime, why not prevent it from happening?"

"Neither you nor I can outsmart the Emperor. He is the Emperor, even if he's a cruel, vicious beast. And neither you nor I know if that information is even true."

Luke noticed how she refused to address them by We. "It is true. I mean, why else would Obi-Wan send us both to Dagobah?"

"To get me to join you to the dark side? Vader needs his minions." said Leia bitterly.

"Princess, my father doesn't care about me joining the dark side. I have refused ages ago."

Leia looked around, confused.

Luke exhaled and looked at the sky, getting some peace from it. Everything was so peaceful on the planet, there was no war, no imperial officers following him around so he might get a good word in to his fathe- it was just the sky, him, and Leia Organa's blaster pointed at him. 

He had experienced worse.

"I could train you, if you want to." he blurted out, and immediately regretted his words.

Leia laughed. "Why would I want that?"

Luke shrugged calmly. "I dunno. The Force is very useful. It could be useful to you," he said, and then suggested angrily, "Especially if the Emperor is planning to kill both of us and-!"

"No. I can take care of myself," she said, "If I want to train, I have Ahsoka. She knows more than you."

Luke reflected on her words. "Yes, she is a Jedi but...my father trained me in the dark side of the Force, I even received some lessons from the Emperor when I was younger. I know it like the palm of my hand, even if I don't like it. I'm just saying, if Ahsoka's training isn't enough for you..."

"Leave now." ordered Leia.

"...I'm always up for teaching you, if you want." he said, and went backwards towards his ship, arms still raised. "Do you promise you're not going to shoot my ship the moment I take off?" he asked loudly.

"Your father's one of the best pilots in the galaxy, figure something out!" she shouted.

Well, that didn't answer his question.

*******

Darth Vader wanted to be there when his son landed home. First, to demand answers as to why he retreated the attack. Second, because he had disobeyed direct orders. Third, because he had been gone for over a day and was not answering any of the comms. 

He couldn't stay all day in the hangar though, because the Emperor needed to talk to him. Vader went towards his quarters with impatience. If Luke landed while he was talking to Palpatine...

Palpatine better know how to run.

"What is it, my Master?" he asked, kneeling.

The hologram of the Emperor, always under a hood and smiling with mischief, tilted his head to look at him. "I have a request for you, my old friend."

Vader almost rolled his eyes at the title. They stopped being friends the moment he discovered Luke was alive.

Palpatine continued. "You must kill the rebel Leia Organa. She has proven to be a nuisance to my Empire."

Vader blinked. It would be more effective to have him kill the entire Rebellion rather than just one person. "It will be done, my Master." he said, bowing again.

"See to it." spat Palpatine, and the hologram disappeared.

Vader stood up, and stopped for a few moments to process the request. Killing Leia Organa would be hard, intel says the Rebel High Command never stayed in one place for too long. But ah, what was another rebel to him? He would have her killed by the end of the week.


	6. Truth and Honesty

The backlash Luke expected came the moment he dropped out of hyperspace. His father picked on his presence immediately, and Luke exhaled loudly. In the hangar, Vader waited for him with crossed arms, and Piett hovered behind uncomfortably.

"What is your problem?!" shouted Vader as soon as the ramp of Luke's ship opened. Luke tilted his head to Piett to say Hello, and didn't stick around long enough to see Piett's answer.

He walked out of the hangar, very aware of his father's hunting presence following him. "I didn't have any problem!" he protested, his cape flowing around him and in between his legs. He almost tripped. He stopped to remove it, and Vader immediately caught up with him and towered in front of him. 

Luke closed his eyes. 

3,2,1...

"You refused to send a squadron that had been prepared for the attack for weeks without any proper justification. You told the officers that the Rebellion did not have a base there, but intel that _you read_ confirmed otherwise," spat Vader angrily, pointing a finger at him, "I would like to know your reasons, young one.”

Luke sighed. "Um...”, he said loudly, "I'm tired now, how about we talk about this first thing tomorrow morning?"

Wrong thing to say.

Vader crossed his arms. "You have not been speaking to me in the slightest. Are you having issues with your position in the war?"

"No, it's-"

"It is what?" demanded Vader.

Piett wanted to intervene, but knew it was better not to. This was a conversation father and son needed to have alone. He left and found another officer going their way, and warned them against it.

"It is what?" repeated Vader with urgency.

Luke didn't know what to say. "I just think we should approach the Rebellion differently. Maybe try negotiating with them?" he suggested.

Vader blinked. "They are terrorists. The Empire will not negotiate with them."

"Maybe that's the problem. You both are so stubborn in your own ways that you cannot talk," said Luke, looking around, thinking, "Maybe if the Empire and the Rebellion reached a mutual understanding this war could end."

"You haven't referred to yourself as part of the Empire.” said Vader suspiciously.

Luke froze. "Did I? I mean, I am, but in general I think you and all the other officers should consider talking. That's what's been on my mind lately."

"Is that why you did not attack? Because you wanted to approach a more pacific solution?" asked Vader.

Luke looked around. "Maybe. It just felt right. Aren't you the one always telling me to trust the Force? It was telling me not to shoot, so I didn't."

"The base got destroyed the moment you left." said Vader.

"I know."

Vader nodded. "I see. You also must answer my requests to speak to you whenever I say so. You did not answer me all day. Where have you been?"

Luke tried to breathe. "You know...around, getting some fresh air. I needed to think."

"You were hiding from your responsibilities after disobeying a direct order."

"No! Not everything revolves around the war, father!"

Vader stopped walking. "Since when does it not? You were a young boy when you became interested in the war and have been asking to come with me ever since. What's more important to you now?"

A sense of morality, his newfound family member. The fact that the Emperor was planning to kill him. A Force ghost and a Togruta woman that told him more about Anakin than his own father ever did. The list was long.

"Nothing. I am sorry I misspoke. It will not happen again, and I will obey all your future requests, Lord Vader," said Luke tiredly. 

Vader stopped him from walking by pressing a hand on his shoulder. Luke turned around, gaze lost somewhere else. Vader tilted his head to look at him. "You did not just call me Lord."

Luke looked at him, confused. "Did I? Sorry, my mind is all over the place, I should go-"

"Speak to me, son. I am not your commanding officer, I am your father." pleaded Vader.

Luke wanted to laugh. How could his father say that? Luke had just offered a possible solution to end the war and Vader politely refused it and asked him if there was anything more important than the war! 

"Yes. I will keep that in mind, thank you. Now, if I could go back to my rooms to rest I would appreciate it. I have had a long day." said Luke politely, even if his tone hid bitterness in it. 

Vader let him go, confused as to why his son was speaking more formally than Piett.

*******

Three days later, Vader had received intel of Leia Organa's location. She would be in Antar 4 tomorrow. It had to be a fast kill masked under war pretenses. Vader wasn't bothered by it in the slightest.

He came to visit his son before he left the following morning. He bypassed the security system he created himself and entered his rooms.

Luke was sitting on the floor, looking at a large galaxy map. His back was to him, but he felt him coming. "Hello." he said.

"What are you doing?"

"Memorising some systems. My planet locations are terrible beyond the Inner Rim." explained Luke.

"Do you know where Antar 4 is, for instance?" asked Vader.

Luke frowned at him from the ground. "Um, no. The place sounds familiar though."

"It is in the Inner Rim."

"Ah, well."

"I am going there tomorrow morning."

Luke frowned absentmindedly. "To do what?"

Vader hesitated, but his son always knew when the Emperor told him to do something, he had to follow orders. Plus, Organa was a rebel. If he succeeded in killing her, the war would stop. Isn't that what his son suddenly wanted?

"Palpatine ordered me to kill a rebel." said Vader.

Luke's heart froze. His hands started shaking, and he had to put the map on the floor so it wouldn't be shaking too. Obi-Wan and Yoda were right, Palpatine was planning to kill them–

"Who exactly? There's lots of them," laughed Luke, unable to hide the worry in his voice.

Please don't say it's the Princess, please don't say it's the Princ–

"General Leia Organa of Alderaan."

Luke shut his eyes. He wanted to scream.

It was already happening. He thought they would have more time to prepare... Force, Leia couldn't have gotten any training in only four days, and he didn't expect it would be his father to do it–

Of course it would be Darth Vader. Luke realised that it was probably the only person in the galaxy that could effectively kill her.

Force, this was bad.

Really bad.

If Leia died, it meant he was next.

"I see. Well, good luck!" he exclaimed, and picked up the map from the floor.

Vader frowned, watching Luke run around his rooms trying to find a place to store the map in. "Are you alright, son? You seem startled." asked Vader, and then put two plus two together. "You don't know her, do you?"

Luke froze, his back to Vader. "No, she's a rebel. How could I?"

Vader remembered Luke's accusations about how the clone wars ended from a few weeks ago. He had had to get that information from someone, and it certainly wasn't Piett. "Very well. I will see you when I return."

Luke turned around and smiled at his father. "Take care!"

Vader frowned. Luke had never said that in his nineteen years of life.

*******

  
Luke followed Vader to Antar 4 on an unclassified imperial ship so his father wouldn't suspect. He had raised his shields so Vader wouldn't notice him, even if he knew his father's strength in the Force overpowered his.

His father's shuttle landed in a city and Luke saw stormtroopers quietly patrolling outside an old grey building. The city itself was polluted and the sky was a sickly yellow-green colour. The sun was somewhere out there, but the clouds made the planet stuck in a forever afternoon.

He didn't need to use the Force to know Leia Organa was inside. He could feel her as if she was by his side. 

They really were related by blood. Luke could already sense some strings clinging to her, even if they were invisible and could shatter at any moment. There was a bond forming. Luke made a mental note not to tell her about this.

He entered the building through the backdoor, and ran into some rebels, who immediately pointed blasters at him. Luke sighed, annoyed. Now was not the time!

“I'm here to speak to Leia Organa. It's important, please. Tell her I'm here.” he pleaded. His father had entered the building already. 

One of the rebels left to find her. She appeared after a few minutes, out of breath and raised her blaster at him. “What are you doing here?!,” she exclaimed, confused. She ordered everyone to leave them.

”It's happening already. Vader's here to kill you, there are patrols outside. The building is surrounded.” explained Luke as quickly as he could. His father's presence below was haunting.

Leia blinked. “What?!”

”We have to go, _now_.”

”We?! I'm not going with you anywhere! If Vader is here then I need to evacuate the building immediately!” exclaimed Leia.

”Come on then!” he interrupted, and a loud sound from downstairs made some ash fall from the walls, “Please. Order everyone to evacuate, but you have to come with me if you want to live.”

”Like hell I will! How do I know you're not part of Vader's plan?” she asked, even if deep down she knew that Luke was telling the truth. The sounds below and the building slowly shaking was also sign that something was wrong.

Luke thought quickly. “Can you feel me through the Force, right now?” he asked, and she shook her head, “I'm hiding myself so he doesn't know I'm here! You can keep the blaster pointed at me if you want to. My ship is nearby. Your people will leave, he's not interested in it right now, his biggest priority is killing you.” 

If two weeks ago anybody told him that he would be afraid of his own father, and helping save a bunch of rebels from Vader, he wouldn't have believed it.

Leia was out of air. “Fine. But if you even dare look in the wrong direction, I will kill you.”

Luke exhaled. “Okay. Go evacuate, I will distract the troopers below.”

She nodded and left. Luke quickly ran down the stairs and saw stormtroopers patrolling the area below with flashlights. Luke used the Force to distract the troopers by creating a sound in the street, and they all left to check. Luke used the distraction to shut the main door and run up the stairs. He used the Force to move some heavy furniture to keep the door closed.

He heard blasters pointed at him, again. He raised his arms, sighing loudly, and turned around. The rebels were staring at him like they were seeing ghosts. He smiled dishonestly and took a deep breath, irritated that they were wasting time. “Hi. You all need to evacuate before my father finds you.”

”Come on!” shouted Leia, and everyone moved. They left the building from the backdoor and the rebels ran the other way, disappearing into the streets. Luke urged her to go, but she couldn't come with him until she saw that all the rebel ships left the atmosphere safely.

Luke wished he cared about something so much to risk his life. Darth Vader was coming to kill her, and she was staring at the sky! He sensed his father's anger and frustration and tugged on her jacket urgently. “We need to go, now. He's here.”

They ran towards his ship and Luke quickly made it out of there, flying them into normal traffic. Leia still had her blaster pointed at him, but Luke didn't even notice anymore. They were sitting in the cockpit, with Leia on co-pilot, one hand gripping at the seat because she didn't even have time to put the seatbelt on.

”Are we being followed?” she asked, anxious. 

“No. I took a random ship. Vader knows you've escaped, all traffic is probably under imperial surveillance right now.” explained Luke, checking the holomap in the pannel.

”Oh,” Leia panicked, “This is bad. Really bad. Where are you going?!” she screamed when the ship shook and Luke barely dodged an incoming ship from another lane. 

"Out of the planet! We'll take it from there!” he said through clenched teeth. He cursed the amount of traffic on this planet.

A siren came from behind them, and both twins cursed at the same time. “Great! You just had to go past the speed limit!” shouted Leia.

Luke followed the lane into the atmosphere. The sirens were still following them. ”You want Vader breathing down our necks?! I personally don't!” shouted Luke back, "I know how it feels! It's even worse when he's irritated!"

She groaned loudly. It was then that Luke saw his father's shuttle rapidly approaching from a distance, and took another lane with inhuman speed.

Leia gave up on holding the blaster to his head because she thought they were going to die, and the movement inside the ship was too much. She might accidentally pull the trigger, and then they would both die. “You just had to summon him!” she spat angrily.

Vader started shooting at them, and Luke dodged the blasts as if he was trained in this since childhood.

He was.

By the same man that was now trying to shoot them down, perhaps kill them. But having the best pilot of the galaxy as your father had its advantages: Luke knew every single move of his. He had spent more time in ships than on ground during his childhood. There wasn't a manoeuvre that Vader could do that would hit him.

Luke managed to lose him in the traffic, and they were already leaving the atmosphere, ignoring all the security and imperial ships following them. The darkness of space engulfed them, and Luke put the first coordinates that came to mind. They jumped to hyperspace, and disappeared out of imperial security's sight.

Darth Vader watched the ship disappear, astounded at the pilot's skills. He was already contacting all systems to look for an anonymous imperial pilot that kidnapped Leia Organa. He called Luke to inform him of this and to warn him to be careful in case he decided to leave, but his son didn't pick answer.


	7. Someone's Roots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Darth Vader looking for the missing Leia Organa, the twins find themselves hiding in plain sight.

They entered hyperspace and Luke's hands were shaking. The adrenaline of the chase on Antar 4 was still in his veins, especially seeing his father's ship trying to take him down. The blue of hyperspace hypnotised his already tired mind, and Leia was taking deep breaths to avoid screaming. Not even an hour ago she was at a meeting discussing finances, and now she was in hyperspace with the Imperial Prince escaping from Darth Vader.

"How do we know we're not being followed?!" she asked.

Luke exhaled. "I threw the tracking device away before boarding. He has no way of locating a stolen ship."

Leia was thankful for that, but it still didn't mean that Vader couldn't follow them. "Okay. Drop out of hyperspace whenever you can and the Alliance will pick me up." she said, leaving the cockpit. She needed to get the adrenaline out of her system. The ship was large enough to walk around, but she had enough energy to climb the highest mountain of Alderaan twice.

Luke's eyes widened as he followed her. "Wait wait wait- did you miss the part where I said that my father wants to kill you?!" he asked.

Leia turned around, arms crossed. "Trust me, I haven't forgotten."

"We need to get out of the system, preferably out of the Inner Rim! We can't just stay here!" exclaimed Luke. If they stopped now, his father would find them both. 

Plural.

Vader would discover the truth, and Luke didn't even want to think about what would happen to him when Vader found out that his son was the reason his mission failed.

Leia clenched her teeth and opened and closed her fists in a calming motion. "Okay then, we will leave the Inner Rim and then you drop me in the first planet available. I can handle myself."

"But you can't handle Vader."

Leia glared at the Imperial Prince. 

Luke shrugged. "I'm just saying. I know the situation is bad, but-" he looked around, "My father _will_ find you if you go back to the Rebellion, and I won't be of much use if he finds out...that I'm helping you."

"You're only helping me because you know you're next."

Luke wanted to protest. None of what she said was true, but neither of them wanted to admit that perhaps Luke had other reasons for his actions.

"Yes," lied Luke, "And as long as you're alive, I'm alive too, so you must understand my need to keep both of us safe. I have a proposal."

Leia sighed. "I'm listening."

"I have a house on the Outer Rim. My father knows I go there to relax for a few days and he _never_ interrupts me. It's far from the main towns and most importantly it's safe."

Leia groaned. "Hiding in plain sight? Is that what you're suggesting?" she asked.

Luke nodded. "Yes. My father will probably spend two days obsessing over his failure to capture you, then four days increasing the search, and will calm down in...about a week?"

"A week?!" exclaimed Leia. 

"Sorry. He's like that."

A kidnapping, great.

"I am not _kidnapping_ you!" protested Luke.

"You read my thoughts?!" exclaimed Leia.

"You're projecting!"

"I don't even know what it means!"

"I am not kidnapping you! I'm trying to help here!"

"Do you not see that I don't trust you? The man currently trying to kill me is your father!"

Luke stopped and didn't know what to say. She was right: he had given her nothing to gain her trust. She was a rebel General, and he was...

Leia walked away. "Leave me alone, I need to think. Thanks for the rescue." He couldn't figure out if the words were sarcasm or a genuine act of gratitude.

Leia eventually found a spare bedroom, clearly unused even if the ship was imperial, and locked the door. If they dropped out of hyperspace and Vader was already waiting for them and this was all a trap....

A knock on the door.

How did he even know she was here?

"I put the hyperdrive at the highest speed possible. We should be there in about seven hours." 

_Get some rest_ he wanted to add.

Leia didn't answer.

Seven hours and several anxious naps later, Leia joined Luke in the cockpit, and neither of them spoke. Luke was worried that the moment they dropped out of hyperspace the ship would simply collapse. His hyperdrive calculations were imprecise, and traveling at maximum speed would damage the engines. If the ship didn't explode, Luke would be surprised.

When they dropped out of hyperspace, Luke was sweating and he forgot that he wasn't alone. The drop wasn't smooth, but the ship was intact. Luke immediately put the house coordinates and flew towards the planet, worried that the ship wouldn't manage to land.

Leia spoke. "Wait, Naboo? You have a house on Naboo?!"

The green planet stood in front of them, almost smiling, and Luke usually enjoyed watching planets from space, but they really needed to land.

"It has little imperial control on the outskirts of the towns," explained Luke, distracted by the lights on the pannel, "And it's nice this time of the..."

His comm beeped.

"...year." he whispered.

Luke read the name in the comm, and Leia could swear that the cockpit grew colder. He put down the comm and began to descend into the planet's atmosphere, but Leia insisted that he picked up.

"I really can't." said Luke, not wanting to speak to the person on the other end of it. Plus, the lights in the pannel indicated that the engines were slowly failing.

"Do you want _me_ to pick up?" asked Leia coldly.

Luke looked at her and then at the commlink, and groaned loudly. "Yes, father?" he asked, annoyed. 

The man that haunted her dreams spoke. "Son. I have told you to answer my calls. Where are you?" 

Leia paled and moved further away from the commlink.

"Um, why do you ask?" said Luke, his full concentration on the bleeping lights on the pannel. If his father was here, he would know what to do. What would Vader do? He would land the ship and then try to fix it. 

Luke could do that.

"I do not need a reason to ask. Are you anywhere close to Antar 4?" asked Vader.

Luke swallowed. "Uh, not really. Have you killed the Princess yet?"

Leia's eyes widened. She couldn't believe she was witnessing this.

"No, and that is what I wanted to discuss with you. An imperial pilot kidnapped her. I am warning you to report anything related to this defection directly to me, and to stay away from the Inner Rim."

Defection? mouthed Luke to Leia, and she shrugged. 

"That's so strange. Defectors don't usually oppose you so directly." said Luke, trying to sound as calm as possible considering that _he_ was the pilot they were talking about, and that the ship was running out of fuel now.

"Indeed, but you have not answered my question. Where are you?" asked Vader again.

Luke sighed. "I'm on Naboo. I needed a break for a few days."

"Your ship is in the hangar."

Luke froze. "I took another one."

Leia shut her eyes. For someone in such a high position within the Empire, the Prince was a terrible liar.

Vader was silent. "Very well, be careful."

"Tell me if you have any new developments on the Princess thing."

"I will." said Vader, and Luke shut down the line.

The twins exhaled. "There, fixed." said Luke with a small anxious smile, as his eyes darted to the pannel. They really needed to land, _now_.

"How do you know he won't come looking for you? If he finds you with me, you're dead." said Leia, leaning back on the co-pilot seat.

"Don't exaggerate," said Luke, "And he won't come. He's too busy and he won't interrupt me if I told him I needed space."

Leia raised an eyebrow. "That simple?"

Luke didn't hear her because the ship started to shake. 

"What's going on?" asked Leia.

"It's uh- I think I burned down the hyperdrive and it's now collapsing the entire system?" he said, eyes on the pannel.

"You did WH-?!"

Luke exhaled and accelerated the ship through the clouds. "Here goes nothing..."

He followed the coordinates on the screen and after about a minute they crash-landed on an empty field. The airbags popped in front of them when the ship had already stopped, and Luke laughed. "We're here!"

Leia coughed and tried to get rid of the airbag, but Luke's hand had grabbed hers and they were running out of the ship. They both fell into the long grass and Luke crawled even further away from the ship, and managed to drag Leia away too.

Nothing happened.

"Didn't you just promise your father that you would be careful?!" exclaimed Leia sharply, standing up and removing the grass from her clothes.

Luke stood up too, looking at the stolen ship with a frown. "It's strange. I thought it would expl-"

The ship exploded.

Ashes fell from the sky.

Leia glared at him, and Luke smiled shyly. "Oops?"

* * *

  
Naboo boiled in the summer. Its climate got a lot of galactical attention for being the best vacation spot, but the local citizens knew that it was best to stay out of Naboo in the middle of the summer.

Luke walked through the empty fields, the grass was dry and long now, and he had to resist activating his lightsaber and cutting through it to pass. He knew that drawing the weapon out now wasn't the best idea, considering that he felt Leia's anger through the Force near him.

Leia walked a few steps behind him, questioning her life choices and what led her to this field with the Imperial Prince. "I thought Naboo was....less dry."

Luke laughed. "Yeah, but it's just this area. In the north it's just rain."

"How do you know this?" asked Leia, frowning. She had taken her jacket off and was now in a loose grey shirt, but it was still too hot.

"I came here a lot when I was younger," explained Luke, slightly out of breath, "It's very calm. I'd be surprised if we found any bucketheads in the villages."

Leia stopped walking. "Did you just call stormtroopers bucketheads? It's a rebel thing."

Luke laughed, and continued walking. "I know, but it's funny. Because they look like, you know. _Buckets_." he laughed to himself again, kicking some rocks.

Leia just stared at him, confused. The Imperial Prince kept surprising her. She expected someone self-entitled, arrogant, and not...

"I don't use the word with troopers, or with officers, but...it's very funny." he explained awkwardly. "Anyway, we're almost there, see that mountain? The house is right below it."

They reached a small cliff and below Leia could see the famous greenery of Naboo. It was as if she stepped into another planet entirely.

The heat was more bearable, and the air was fresher.

Luke followed a brown cobblestone path down the hill towards a house on the edge of a small cliff. The path connected the area to a small village in the distance, that had a pier and a lake. They could reach the village in about fifteen minutes by foot down the hill.

They stopped in front of the only house in the area. It had a high fence and blinking lights on top of them, and the gate had a strange security system. Luke introduced a long number, his fingerprint and the gate opened. 

The green lawn was unkept in some places and surrounded the small house.

She expected a prison.

The house had two floors and an attic, a balcony that surrounded the building and a cobblestone path that led towards a white door. Overall it was too rustic and _normal_ to be something that belonged to Darth Vader.

After several layers of security to get into the house, they were finally in. Luke breathed in the cold air and smiled. The house was in almost complete darkness and the furniture was covered in white sheets and dust.

Leia followed him cautiously into what looked like the living room and watched him roll up the blinds and open the doors. She squinted at the light and saw that the doors led to a garden- _Darth Vader kept a garden?_ \- and they had a high tree that casted a long shadow. The living room itself was an open space that had a kitchen and a kitchen island in the middle. 

"Your father owns this?" she asked, while Luke took the sheets off the furniture and coughed at the dust.

"Yes, but he never comes here. I think I can find some droids to clean the place up quickly-" he said, and noticed anxiety through the Force.

Leia wanted to contact the Rebellion and get out of there, even if the house seemed safe enough.

Luke sighed. "You're not a prisoner. You're safe here." he tried to assure her.

"I'll never be safe if Vader wants me dead." said Leia.

"Well, I'm next in Palpatine's list too, so-"

"Your father will not kill you," interrupted Leia, "Our situations are different. Very different. Don't you dare compare."

"They are different," said Luke, "but...perhaps we could get to know each other a bit? I don't know for how long this problem will last, but....I've never had a sister, and you're pretty cool, even for a rebel, so-"

Leia blinked. Did the Imperial Prince just call her _cool?_

"I did, sorry. Most of my friends are like 50 years old and-"

Leia interrupted him. "Stop reading my thoughts."

Luke raised his arms. "You're _projecting_. Oh, now that we're at it! I could teach you to shield and use the Force meanwhile? Not the dark side. Just the Force, basic things."

Leia sighed. "Fine." 

Small victory.

Luke found some droids to clean up the house while he showed Leia around. The house had two floors and an attic that Luke didn't want to go to because it scared him. He could handle the Emperor's level of creepiness, but that attic haunted his nightmares.

Once Leia was convinced that Darth Vader wasn't hiding in any of the rooms, she relaxed a bit. 

"Naboo is very patrolled because the Emperor was born here. But this part of the planet doesn't really get many visitors so I think we'll be fine. But I suggest you take your blaster just in case-" said Luke.

"Am I projecting again?" asked Leia.

"No, I'm just warning. I have some cloaks if we need to go to town...Have you ever been here before?" asked Luke.

"Not this part of the planet."

Luke grinned. "Okay! I'll show you around. It's lovely in the evening."

He wanted to walk and disappear into the crowds, and he couldn't do that with his tall menacing father. Leia didn't understand the enthusiasm, but thought that a walk was harmless. They needed to talk, and she would feel safer around Nubian strangers than alone with Darth Vader's son.

* * *

They left the house at sunset wearing two light brown cloaks. The weather was still hot but the wind from the lake cooled down the air. Leia kept her distance from him, and Luke led them down the empty streets of the village. Leia thought that it was better to keep Darth Vader away from civilisation, but she wouldn't say that out loud. Slowly some people started to appear, and Luke pulled his hood even further down. 

Leia thought he didn't fit in at all. “Have you ever gone undercover?” she asked.

Luke blinked. “No, why?”

“You are not blending in. People are staring.”

Luke looked around. “Oh, sorry,” he said under his breath, and removed it so at least it covered his forehead. “Better?”

Leia sighed. “You've never really left the Palace at all, have you? You remind me of myself when I started school.”

“I've had private tutors, no schools, ever.” explained Luke.

Leia snorted. “Explains a lot.”

Luke pretended to be offended. “Hey! I've had a happy childhood, alright?”

“Whatever you say.” said Leia, dismissing him.

Eventually they reached a square and Leia stopped on her feet. “This is a festival.”

There were people eating on picnic tables and families laying on the grass, pointing at the stars. Others were slow-dancing to a local band that played happy tunes, and both twins didn't know how to behave in this situation.

It was all too normal.

Luke spoke. “Perfect for blending in?” he asked, and walked into the crowd with Leia on his tail. They reached a market, and before she could ask, Luke was already talking to someone.

“Put me two bags of these, and uh...those over there? They're local, right? Excellent, thank you!” he said politely, and paid for the purchase. He walked towards her, a smile on his face, and extended one bag to her.

She took it with a frown. “What's this?”

“Fruit. Rebels eat fruit too, right?” he asked sarcastically, looking around the square with a small smile. 

Leia had to do a double-take and remind herself that this was the Imperial Prince, Darth Vader’s son, the heir to the Empire she fought everyday to destroy. This guy that came out of nowhere, who smiled at villagers and seemed at peace with the people of Naboo.

“Oh, come with me, I want to show you something.” he said, snapping her out of her thoughts, "There's an observation deck up there.”

Leia blinked. “You're taking me to an observation deck.”

“If you don't want to go there’s another market nearby with–“

Leia interrupted. “No, no. It's alright. Let's go.”

Luke smiled and nodded. They walked in silence across the village, Luke careful not to make direct eye contact with anyone. Luckily people were too busy with the festival to care about two teenagers sneaking around.

“You really like this village...” announced Leia.

Luke nodded. “It's the place I go to whenever I'm overwhelmed. My father bought the house when I was younger and we came here to....train, mostly. As I grew up he allowed me to stay here by myself, or with Piett to look out for me...but I figured he didn't like the place much.”

“Who is Piett?” asked Leia.

Luke snorted. “Oh, that's uh...my father's Admiral.”

“Your guardian was an imperial Admiral? Couldn't he get you a nanny like normal people?” she asked, and stopped when she realised who she was talking about.

Darth Vader didn't do normal.

“It's not like that. Piett is still an Admiral, but he's a family friend too. He practically raised me. I think you'd like him.” said Luke.

Leia snorted. “No thank you. I've had my guardians, I don't need any imperial Admiral as a nanny.”

“He wasn't a nanny-!”

“Sounds to me like he was. And why didn't Vader want to come here anyway?” said Leia.

Luke tensed. “I didn't know the reason until a few weeks ago. It's just a guess and I might be wrong, but... you said our mother was the Queen of Naboo, right?” asked Luke.

Leia stopped walking and crossed her arms, glaring at Luke. “She is _not_ my mother. My mother was Breha Organa, Queen of Alderaan.”

Luke exhaled deeply, thinking how to approach the topic. “Okay, let me rephrase the question then: you said _my_ mother was the Queen of Naboo, right?” he asked carefully.

She nodded reluctantly. “What are you trying to say?” she asked coldly.

“My father doesn't like Naboo because it reminds him of my mother.” whispered Luke. “I don't really know, I could ask him but–“

“How can you not know anything about your parents?!” she exclaimed.

Luke felt her emotions through the Force, and there was so much grief. He understood she was not speaking in anger, but in sadness at her own loss. “I haven't been told anything about my mother. All I can do is guess. Before Dagobah I didn't even know her name.” he said quietly.

Leia stared at him, angry, and walked in front of him following the path up to the small observation balcony. They reached a brick platform that gave view to a park and the village below. The sun had almost set, and the lake reflected the fading golden skies. Leia leaned on the railing and looked at the town below, hearing the music and people dancing.

Luke stood next to her but a few feet away, just in case. “You see that lake over there?” he asked, pointing, “I almost drowned in it when I was five.”

Leia couldn't hold her laughter. “What were you doing there alone?”

“I saw a fish for the first time and jumped in to get it. My father almost had a heart attack. I haven't been allowed near lakes since.” explained Luke.

Leia thought for a moment. “Want to go there tomorrow?” she asked, a hopeful tone in her voice. She couldn't believe she was asking that, but there was nothing to do while they waited for Vader to calm down.

If that ever happened. The galaxy has been waiting nineteen years for Vader to calm down. 

“I would _love_ to! Force, thank you for suggesting.” exclaimed Luke happily.

“Vader will be pissed...” she said melodically.

“I won't tell him what I did on Naboo. Not a word. I don't want to be grounded for the rest of my life.” he said.

Leia laughed. “You're not serious.”

Luke nodded dramatically. “I am.”

“You're the heir to the Empire, you can't be grounded. That's for children.” said Leia, frowning, “You're almost twenty right?”

Luke nodded. “Like you.”

The silence between them spoke volumes, and how they refused to acknowledge that they were related. 

“First Empire Day...a bit ridiculous to be born that day, if you ask me.” said Leia, breaking the silence.

“Speak for yourself, you're the rebel here. For each Empire Day my father has to throw these huge unnecessary celebrations for me. I don't even go to those parties.” explained Luke, “They're filled with Governors and Moffs and it's just an excuse to discuss ‘the glory of the Empire’ or whatever.”

“So what do you do if you don't go there?” asked Leia, “When celebrations were thrown in my palace I was required to go, even if I didn't want to. Can you imagine a five year old at a table full of grown-ups discussing local politics?”

Luke snorted. “I can, actually. Been there, done that.”

“When you were five?” asked Leia, suspicious.

“Seven or eight, maybe. I couldn't sit still when I was five. There was no way my father would allow me near Governors.” explained Luke, “And you asked how I spend my Life Days...mostly with Piett, and my father joined us after the formal celebrations.”

Leia blinked. “This Piett guy sounds important to you.”

Luke smiled to himself. “He is. My father wouldn't trust anyone else with his child.”

“You said this Piett guy has been here, with you, at the house?” asked Leia, “Why?”

“He kept me out of trouble. As I told you, I was restless as a child. We found this spot by accident one day and he used to sit over there while I splashed in the fountains.”

Leia squirmed. “You splashed in public fountains?” she asked, disgusted. Sometimes her royalty origins betrayed her. If she got any stains on her shirts, her parents would be disappointed in her. She couldn't even imagine splashing in a fountain.

Luke protested. “Played! Past tense. I wouldn't do it now.”

“I doubt that very much. Try not to drown in the lake tomorrow.” said Leia sardonically.

“At what time do you want to go?” asked Luke.

“At what time do you wake up?”

“At what time do _you_ wake up?”

Leia glared at him.

Luke gave up. “Fine. I don't have a schedule. The lake is usually crowded by midday, so we could go around sunrise? Half-past seven?”

Leia laughed out loud. She would get ten hours of sleep. This was a miracle. 

“Is something wrong?” asked Luke.

“Surprisingly enough, today, of all days, no.”

*******

The path back to the house was filled with innocent bickering and stories from Luke's attempts to get back to the lake, and all the times his father found out. The sun had already set but the villagers had no intention of stopping the festival.

“Are you hungry?” asked Luke.

“Actually yes, but I suppose there's nothing here if the house's abandoned.”

“It's not abandoned,” protested Luke with a smile, “What do you want? I can cook anything.”

Leia made a face. “You can cook?!”

Luke laughed. “Yes, not everything but... I can manage.”

“Just make whatever you want, I don't care.”

Luke smiled and they purchased some weird vegetables that Leia had never seen. She wasn't worried about poisoning, but she would make sure to keep watch when Luke cooked, and he would eat first. It's a basic security procedure. She did this all the time.

They reached the house and Luke checked the security again. “It's scarier at night.” he commented, entering the long security number and fingerprint. The fact that the Imperial Prince who was raised by Darth Vader himself, found a big house scary surprised her.

“I see why Vader likes it.” answered Leia, taking her cloak off and hanging it. She inspected the house again: it was rustic with tall ceilings and the tiles on the floor were light brown. It was clearly a summer house, and yet nobody used it. 

Luke used the Force to turn on the lights and Leia marvelled at the simplicity of using this magic. It would make her life so much easier. Luke immediately went towards the kitchen and Leia followed him. 

“How long will this take?” she asked, leaning against the kitchen island.

“About thirty minutes maybe? Are you allergic to anything?” asked Luke.

“No, you?”

“No.”

They didn't want to address the elephant in the room. Twins didn't always share allergies, but the fact that they even had to consider this now was strange. 

Luke found a pot, filled it with water and put it on the stove. Leia watched him quietly, and offered to help with the groceries, but Luke refused. Leia sat in a chair behind the kitchen island and watched him move around.

“Want some Chandrilan tea?” asked Luke.

Leia's eyes lit up. “You have Chandrilan tea?!”

“Mm-hmm.” answered Luke quietly, and with a swish of a hand he opened a cupboard with the Force and a box of tea landed in front of her. “Firmus likes it so he always keeps some around.” he said, and with a flick of a finger, the kettle floated, got filled with water and started boiling. 

"What exactly are you making?" she asked.

"It's a classic Nubian dish that's cooked in the transition from spring to summer. We're not exactly in that season but...it's nice, and right now it's the only ingredients I could find in the market. Do you like salty food?"

"Not really." said Leia, crossing her arms and watching him spin the vegetables in the pan. If she concentrated hard enough, she could forget that they were in a big house where Vader could have installed security cameras and–

"I deactivated them." said Luke.

"How do you-"

"You're projecting. I really can't help it. It's as if you're saying these things out loud."

"How do I stop from projecting, then?"

"Okay," he said, chewing one vegetable and turning to face her. "You have to imagine that your mind is like an ocean, and when you think about something you cause the water to spill. You have to contain that water in an aquarium: raise shields."

"Shields?" she asked.

"Yes, imagine that you're putting barriers in your mind, so the water doesn't spill." he explained, "Try it."

Leia tried imagining putting up walls around her, but it only made her confused. "How am I supposed to do this? Just by thinking about it?"

"A bit more than that. It's usually done with meditation, but I feel like if we meditated now we'd fall asleep." said Luke calmly. "What type of pasta do you like?"

Leia was too busy trying to raise these invisible shields to hear the question.

"General, what type of pasta do you like?" repeated Luke.

"What? Oh, whatever you have. It's just pasta."

"Oh, I beg to disagree. Firmus is _very_ picky about his pasta."

"Just pick some pasta, Luke." she said tiredly, rubbing her temples. She was too exhausted to notice that she had just called him by his name instead of his title. Luke stopped mixing the vegetables for a moment, processing hearing his name from his sister's voice, and then continued.

He put the pasta to boil and removed the vegetables from the stove. Leia was slowly starting to fall asleep, and her exhaustion was contagious through the Force. She had power, even if she didn't know the extent of it yet.

"So...uh. How's the Rebellion?" asked Luke.

Leia opened her eyes and frowned. "Are you trying to make small talk?"

"I'd like to get to know you."

She clenched her jaw and gave up. She was too tired. "The Rebellion is _fine_. Lots of bases are getting destroyed though. Thank Vader for that."

Luke dried his hands on a towel. "My father hasn't really been in charge of the war as of late. But I get what you mean."

"He's killed lots of people. How can you live with this?" asked Leia.

Luke blinked. It's not like he never thought about it. He knew the crimes his father was accused of, he had heard the stories about Darth Vader's actions. "I can't live with this, but it's not like I'm not guilty of it either. I don't kill people but my word has terminated conflicts in the name of the Empire."

"I know."

"And I've always been surrounded by people of high ranks. They praised me for doing absolutely nothing. I could just say ‘glory to the Empire’ and it would be in imperial magazines and whatever."

Leia knew all of this.

"I feel like the Empire treats me like the version of my father they wanted in the first place, but since my father _hates_ the media and hardly ever gives public speeches... they try to make a second Vader out of me."

"Poor you," said Leia sarcastically, "People in the galaxy wish they had your problems. Instead local imperial governors are exploiting them and corrupting their economies for their own profit, and this is just the top of the list. I could go on."

Luke looked at the ground. "I've– I've known this for a while, and it's never really bothered me."

"Because you've been raised not to worry about it. You've never had troopers accuse you and then being taken away," explained Leia, "The only good thing you've done, _that I know of_ , was saving me from Vader, and even now I still don't trust you."

Luke nodded. "I'd like to gain that trust, if it's possible."

Leia raised her eyebrows. "Well, a couple of things then: first of all, don't even try with the imperial propaganda. The fact that there's a high chance that we're related means nothing. You're still who you are, and I'm still working day and night to win the war. Second, I'll keep my blaster with me always, and if you want to do something good and help the galaxy, I could give you some tips."

"I'm not interested in rebel propaganda." answered Luke automatically.

"And that is your problem-" said Leia politely, and then looked behind Luke. "I don't think the pasta is supposed to fall out of the pot."

Luke raised his eyebrows and turned around. He forgot about the time! The meal was almost done, and he gestured Leia to continue while he finished cooking. 

"As I was saying, not everything is rebel propaganda. Speaking the truth about the state of the galaxy, with sources and pictures and testimonies, isn't propaganda. I'd like to see you talk to someone that suffers the corruption of the Empire every day, look at their eyes, and try telling me that you don't feel at least a bit responsible for their pain."

Luke sighed. "I think it's too late for this discussion...but I am tired of the war, that's all." he said, and put two plates in the kitchen island. It was too late to set the main table, so he sat in front of her in the shiny dark brown island.

"Everyone is tired of it, but we have to continue fighting,” said Leia, not ready to drop the discussion yet. "Have you spoken to Vader about what you think?"

Luke wanted to eat and go to sleep, but manners kept him from answering with a full mouth, so he waited. "I suggested a negotation to end the war. Like, a real negotiation where he would be open to listen. He refused."

"I'm not surprised." said Leia, taking one bite after seeing him eat first.

Luke continued. "He's just focused on winning by destroying bases and killing people. I believe if things could be talked through, the war would at least be less...bloody. Negotiations would at least make sure both parties are being heard.”

Since they both came from royalty, they took their turns eating and speaking. The discussion was surprisingly very polite, and neither of them addressed the future of their strange family. Once they finished eating and the discussion died out, Luke remembered.

"Oh. There's a room with extra security I used to sleep in when there was rebel activity in town. Want to stay there for the meantime? The password can only be activated from the inside. If you feel safer this way."

Leia doubted she would be able to get any sleep. This was still Darth Vader's son, who could open doors with the Force and call his father anytime he wanted. There was probably an imperial outpost in the nearest city that would do anything the Prince ordered. She wouldn't be able to get any sleep, but she was thankful for the idea.

"Where are _you_ sleeping?" she asked.

"Upstairs, first floor. I moved into that room when I was...twelve? I really wanted to act like an adult so I got my own ‘unlocked’ room. I'm pretty sure my father installed some extra security that I didn't notice but–" ranted Luke, and then decided to address what was bothering them both. 

Leia was still projecting.

"I know you don't trust me, but you can have all my comms and any other electronic devices you want for the night so I won't have any means to contact imperial authorities." he said seriously.

"You _are_ an imperial authority.”

"Well, yes....but I won't contact any other imperials because they _will_ contact my father and he will know that the pilot on Antar 4 was me, and I'd be in more trouble than you can imagine. Also he has been annoyed with me lately because I'm disobeying his orders, so I _really_ don't want him around at the moment."

Leia blinked at how normal Luke's relationship with Vader seemed. The fact that their relationship hung on thin strings at that moment convinced her that he was telling the truth. "Fine. You can keep your electronics."

She would keep her blaster.

Luke nodded politely. "The system locks from the inside, remember that. It's almost impossible to get in."

"Not even with the Force?"

"No, it's Force-proof. My father thought it through."

Leia wouldn't want to stay in any room that had Vader's inventions in it, but as long as it protected Luke when he was younger, it would certainly protect anyone now. She nodded, and got up to put the dish away.

Luke spoke. "Write the security number on a paper before bed in case you forget in the morning. I've had it happen to me a few times, my father almost tore the door down." he said politely, "It's the second floor to the right, at the end of the corridor."

"Okay, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then." said Leia politely.

Luke nodded and watched her go upstairs, and sat in silence for a while, finishing his own meal. He didn't know what else to do to convince Leia, his actual sister, than he wouldn't give her away to the Empire. Her speech during dinner hit a nerve with him, and he made a mental note to ask more questions about the state of the galaxy in the future. Perhaps tomorrow he would ask what the hell was happening around the galaxy that inspired people to rebel against the Empire.

His father would be mad at him, but he wasn't there, and he didn't have to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story will take longer to update, but I am not giving up on it.


	8. The Basics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia Organa is on the run from the Empire, and assisted by her brother, the Imperial Prince, they hide on a small house on Naboo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long while since I updated this fic. Major apologies from my part, I've had a very bad writer's block with this story and didn't know how to continue. I don't want to take SO LONG between updates because I like where the story is going. So thank you to those who commented and read even if the author was missing in action.
> 
> Summary of the story so far: Luke is the Imperial Prince, and Heir to the Empire. His sanity is somehow stable because Piett has also raised him and taught him stuff Vader didn't. One day Luke gets a visit from the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi saying that he needed to go to Dagobah. Luke goes there, against Vader's wishes, and finds Master Yoda - and later Leia joins too. They discover they're related, and that Palpatine is planning to kill them both because they hold too much power and he's "threatened". The twins get mad at everything and go their separate ways. Luke starts to doubt the Empire, and they run into each other again. Luke eventually finds out that Vader is on his evil way to kill Leia (he doesn't know she's his daughter), and Luke NOPEs his way to where Leia is and they get to safety before Vader can suspect it's Luke. They arrive on a small house in the outskirts of Naboo, and Luke says that Vader will need a few days to calm down and then it's safe to leave. 
> 
> Story continues below.

Imperial commodities were surprisingly comfortable. The house had spent years in darkness, but the droids cleaned it up while the twins were out before dinner and it looked lived-in. The room Leia was given felt more like a hotel room than a child’s bedroom. The windows were slightly tuned and gave view to the garden, and the room had a bathroom attached.

Since Alderaan was destroyed, Leia hardly ever slept in the same place anymore, let alone in peace. The silence in the house was annoying and creepy to her, and she had to imagine the mechanics quietly discussing something about ships and the sound of rebels walking outside. 

Not knowing how or when, she managed to fall asleep. She dreamed of Darth Vader and his laboured breathing, and whenever she opened her eyes she could swear she saw him in the corner of the room.

He wasn’t there. 

At quarter past seven she woke up because her senses were screaming at her. It felt like somebody threw her off the bed and into a cold pool. She woke up startled, out of breath, and turned on the lights. The windows were closed, the door was safely locked, and she was alone. 

“Leia?”

She rubbed her eyes and tried to recall why that voice sounded so familiar. Ah, right. Not even a day ago she was still with the Rebellion on Antar 4, and now…

“It’s seven already. Still wanna go to the lake or do you want to sleep in?” asked Luke.

Leia hadn’t slept in since she was sixteen. She felt the Force exhaling, and the anxiety in the air dissipated. 

“Alright, see you in a few minutes.” said Luke from behind the door, and walked down the stairs to check on the breakfast. He hadn’t slept very well because he was worried about security, and after turning and tossing for a few hours he went to check that _all_ the security systems his father designed were working, except the security cameras.

He managed to sleep a few hours, but unlike Leia who never got the luxury of peaceful sleep, he usually slept in because his schedule was irregular: he might have days of doing nothing and then a week of non-stop traveling and meetings. 

They both needed the time off for their own reasons. 

Luke went downstairs and shivered. He had opened the doors that led to the garden and the fresh morning air had lowered the temperature in the room. What Luke loved about Naboo the most was the air quality and how it always smelled of fresh trees— and now the curtains were slowly dancing with the wind.

He walked to close them, and stopped on his tracks. The sky was slowly turning from black to light blue, and the sky was slowly becoming orange. It was barely there, behind the silhouette of the mountains that surrounded the lake, but the day was starting. He hadn't visited Naboo in so many years that he forgot about how comforting the planet felt. Outside the windows there was no space, no stars, no Moffs or Captains demanding his approval: the outskirts of the towns on Naboo gave him anonymity. 

Leia walked down the stairs a few minutes later and found him standing in front of opened doors that gave view to the mountains far ahead. He had his arms extended on either side of him, clearly in the process of closing them. Even from where she stood, the wind was cold since the sun wasn't out yet. 

"Good morning."

Leia blinked. She hadn't made a noise. How did he–?

"You're projecting," answered Luke quietly, breathing in the fresh air before closing the doors. His lungs had gotten used to the artificial air in the spaceships. "We have to get groceries, and something lighter to wear. It gets really hot here during the summer." explained Luke while putting the kettle to boil. Both of them were still dressed in their military winter clothing since their stay on Naboo was unprepared. "Also, there's this fortress on top of a mountain nearby that you just _have_ to see it's–"

He stopped when Leia didn't answer. She was still staring at the mountains and the beginnings of a sunrise, arms crossed, loose hairs falling out of a simple braid. "We have to talk. Vader is still out there looking for me, and the Alliance just lost a General. I can't just stay here doing nothing.”

The kettle boiled with a loud wheeze. 

Luke spoke. "I understand that you have responsibilities, but you also must understand that it's not safe for you to leave the planet yet. Not even the village. My father will calm down in a few days, so while you're here I suggest you get some rest. If you want to sleep in, it's fine." he said calmly, even if his voice carried the undertones of authority, "But I think you would rather get the adrenaline out of the system."

Leia walked and sat down in the kitchen isle, resting her head in her hands.

"The entire galaxy isn't yours to carry. Doing nothing, as you put it, is still doing something. Besides, it's not like you chose to hide on purpose." said Luke.

"I didn't choose this," said Leia, not looking at him, "The Emperor and Vader dragged me into this nightmare."

"Well, you can still make some choices. Now, do you want caf or tea?" asked Luke, not wanting to discuss the heavy rocks they both carried so early in the morning. So far they managed not to rip their heads out, so that was good. Small steps, thought Luke.

Leia snorted under her breath. "Caf, thank you."

"Got it."

Leia didn't understand how someone who belonged to the Empire, son of Darth Vader, was so easy-going and pleasant to talk to. Had the circumstances been different, he would have fit well in the Alliance. It scared her not knowing what to make of him, if the guy making caf right now was an enemy or a friend.

 _A brother_ , whispered something inside her head, and she tried to smile. "So, the lake?"

*** * ***

They left the house just at the beginning of the sunrise. Leia noticed that Luke took a long time to check the security before leaving, to the point that she was starting to worry. After locking _all_ the outside doors, Luke exhaled. 

"How long to the lake?" asked Leia. The temperature was rising, even if the sun wasn't out yet.

"About ten minutes. It's very close, but first..." mumbled Luke, and went the opposite way and into a small storage house. There were noises of metallic things falling off shelves and a couple of groans and curses, but after a few seconds they stopped.

Leia watched mesmerized as a small canoe floated out of it, barely above the ground, with Luke walking behind it, one hand stretched out and the other looking for the keys. The canoe hit the floor when he found them, and he locked the storage unit. The canoe floated again, this time slightly more above the ground, at knee height, and Luke walked to her with a smile. "I forgot I even had it. Hope you're not scared of water."

Leia looked between him and the floating canoe as if she was seeing a frog on a bicycle. He walked ahead of her, the canoe following him like a dog, and Leia had to jog to catch up. They followed the brown cobblestone path that went down the hill, and Leia put her hands in her pockets. She noticed Luke still had fingers stretched out but his arms were hanging loosely next to him. 

"You make it look so easy, you know." she said.

Luke blinked. "What?"

"This Force thing." 

Luke chuckled, and Leia couldn't help but notice that even with all the layers of optimism, sometimes there was something slightly cold under. "It's not that hard, really. Oh, now that we're at it, what do you want to learn about the Force?" he asked. 

"Everything," answered Leia decisively, "Start with what Ahsoka did: the basics."

"Alright, I'm sure in a few days you'll make things float too." assured Luke with a smile.

Leia marvelled at how simple it was to talk to him about things unrelated to the chaos that awaited them outside of Naboo's atmosphere, and then her heart grew cold. They were still fighting on opposite sides of the war, and he was still the heir to the entire Empire. "You know I will use the Force against the Empire someday?" she asked. 

Luke stopped walking and frowned. The canoe hit the ground. "I don't care what you do with the Force as long as you're safe."

"But you don't even know me. Why are you doing this?" asked Leia, tired. She was used to people having ulterior motives for everything in her life. Ever since she was a child people were never nice without reason, there was always something they wanted from her or from her parents. Even the rebels were hardly nice to her.

Nothing in life came for free.

Luke spent a few seconds in silence, looking at the remaining dark clouds in the sky that were disappearing and gave space for the light to shine. "Because it's the right thing to do." he answered sharply, and continued walking, leaving a confused Leia a few steps behind.

The path connected to a wooden pier that extended towards the middle of the lake. There were two men fishing quietly at the end of it, laughing and drinking hot beverages and occasionally almost losing balance and falling into the water. Leia was still uncomfortable with how awfully _quiet_ her surroundings were. There were no people shouting, no urgent commands to leave the base, no bombs and no stormtroopers running. It was as if the civil war had never touched this area of Naboo. 

Luke walked towards the middle of the pier, not wanting to go further to avoid recognition, and quietly used the Force to lower the canoe into the water. It floated calmly, and Luke crouched to hold it in place while he waited for Leia, who was still mesmerized with the sight.

The mountains surrounded the lake in a non-claustrophobic way, and the lake extended well past them. There were birds quietly singing in the trees behind, and the sounds of the two men laughing without a care in the world. reminded her of something she lost. 

Alderaan.

Luke watched his sister walk to him quietly, her expression somber. She got into the canoe and Luke followed. They sat cross-legged, Luke in the front, and started rowing without much energy. They passed the men that were fishing but neither of them paid them attention, and this is why Luke loved Naboo.

If those men saw him, they might recognise him from just _somewhere_ , instead of being the Heir to the entire galaxy. If Luke said something rude at them, they would make him apologise instead of saying it was an honour to talk to him.

After a few minutes of rowing in silence, Leia left the oars alone and stretched her arms. She wasn’t used to this exercise, and the sun was already peaking through the mountains. “This place is beautiful.” said Leia out loud to one in particular.

Luke turned around and put a hand in the water and moved it around slowly, mesmerized. “I spent my first days on Tatooine. I think a part of me will always appreciate the water.” he confessed. 

Leia crossed her arms, wanting to get some warmth against the breezy morning wind. “Wait, Tatooine? What were you doing on Tatooine?” asked Leia, confused. She forgot about her problems with Luke, who currently was splashing both his hands in the water and creating waves.

Luke looked at her and shook his hands to get them to dry. “Obi-Wan Kenobi wanted to hide me from my father so he went to the only place he knew Vader wouldn’t look in, Tatooine,” said Luke, almost bitterly, and then he finally gave up air-drying and dried his hands on his shirt. Nobody was there to scold him for bad manners.

“Why?” asked Leia.

Luke sighed. He supposed there was no harm in telling this. “My father was born on Tatooine. His memories from there aren’t pleasant, and he swore not to visit it ever again after he left. Obi-Wan knew this, but...well, my father still found us. I mean, I have no memory of this...I was probably two weeks old? Sometimes I wonder what would have happened to me if I stayed on Tatooine...”

“From what I’ve heard about Tatooine...”

Luke laughed. “Yeah, that’s what I think too...” he smiled, and then stopped, “I know you hate Vader, but he gave me a good life. I’m happy.” said Luke, and Leia’s expression darkened for a moment, but Luke continued. “He’s a lot to handle sometimes, but he’s good at heart. I’ve had a nice childhood, he was always around and he was a good father to me.”

Luke didn’t notice that he spoke about Vader being a good person in past tense. 

“He tortured me.” confessed Leia.

The waves of the water stopped for a few seconds.

Luke froze. “What?” he asked, eyes starting to water for no reason. 

Leia took a deep breath and exhaled, closing her eyes. “Before Alderaan got...” she couldn’t bring herself to say it, not now, “I got captured and scheduled for interrogation on the death star, and he was there. The interrogation droid and his stupid methods hurt, but _he_ asked the questions. He could have stopped it but he didn’t care. I couldn’t sleep for over a week. His mask was in all the dark corners of every room.”

Luke clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. He knew that his father was a skilled interrogator, but hearing it from someone who was on the other side of it...

He looked at the water.

“He doesn’t deserve my hate. I’ve got better things to do that waste my time thinking about him.” she finished, curling on herself and looking away.

Luke was silent for a while. He didn’t have any plans of introducing his father and Leia to each other before, and he certainly would _never_ do it now. 

“I didn’t know any of this.” was all he could say. He wanted to apologise, but didn’t know what for. He allowed this to happen right under his nose, he had ignored the rebels’ speeches and pleas for negotiation because he thought it was propaganda, he had idolized his father and ignored his obvious flaws and how even Piett kept a safe distance from him. 

He could apologise, but this wasn’t about him. He had never been a victim of his father.

Leia didn’t answer, and Luke put Vader on top of the list of things not to discuss with her for the foreseeable future. He might not be able to stop Vader from doing these atrocities, but he could help Leia resist interrogations.

“There’s this thing you can do with the Force that pushes people, well, other force-sensitives out of your mind. I don’t think my father would do something like this but–“

“He did.”

Luke nodded, his head spinning slightly from emotion. “Well, I- there’s this method where you can-” he tried continuing, but couldn’t. He buried his head in his hands and took a deep breath, hands shaking.

“Have you ever talked to any rebel?”

Luke shook his head slowly, looking down at his feet. 

“The Alliance is full of people that barely managed to escape from the Empire. They’ve all ran into stormtroopers, imperial invasions, their towns got destroyed. Some even ran into Vader. The people that stayed permanently in the Alliance had weekly group meetings to talk it out: hearing other people’s experiences and how they dealt with the aftermath of Vader really helped them process and move on,” she explained, and then raised her eyebrows, “Some of them haven’t, but they’re trying.”

Luke wanted to get back into the house, find another ship and go scream at his father for a few hours, but stopped. He realised that his father wouldn’t care. He was the direct executor of people’s nightmares.

Leia noticed that he was staring at the water. “The Alliance is all about fighting what’s established. Nobody likes the Empire, trust me. _Nobody_. All the Moffs and Governors just deal with it because their salaries are good and they don’t want to ruin that,” she explained while Luke was still lost in the water, “Do _you_ like the Empire?” 

Luke took a deep breath and looked at her. “I’m not sure I know what it is anymore.”

For the first time in a while, Leia's presence in the Force relaxed. “That’s good then. Let me tell you _all_ about it...”

A week ago Luke would have dismissed it as rebel propaganda, but the Force didn’t sense any lies in Leia’s explanations. He listened attentively, asking questions and suppressing his desire to find Palpatine and rip his head off. They left the canoe two hours later, with the sun already up in the sky.

* * *

They spent all morning in the coastal village getting groceries and lighter clothes, trying not to draw attention to themselves. They went back to the house around one in the afternoon, slipping easily into routine. Leia felt lighter on her feet, sometimes forgetting her problems and just focusing on how strange it felt to disconnect.

Luke was putting a front of being fine, but deep down he was processing all of Leia’s words about the Empire, and what the Rebellion was trying to accomplish. His sister was a brilliant politician and her oratory could determine anyone to join the cause— but he knew this wasn’t the case now. 

They had lunch, still talking about the Empire and Luke’s experiences in the Imperial Fleet as well as being royalty. Leia could relate to some of the royalty stories, and they talked all the way through the lunch, forgetting about the meal.

“You said my mother was the Queen of Naboo.”

Leia nodded. 

“Does Theed have any portraits of her?” asked Luke.

“I suppose the Palace has tributes to their former leaders. Why?” she asked.

Luke looked down at his feet. “I want to know more about her. I don’t think I’ll ever have the opportunity again.” he said, and Leia sighed and told him all she knew about Padmé Amidala.

To Leia, the Imperial Prince was strangely charming in his own way. She struggled to imagine him in cold imperial ships, kneeling to the Emperor, or living with Darth Vader. She was surprised that Luke kept his optimism through almost two decades. 

By the end of the day Leia had grasped the concept of the Force, and she understood why she felt so strange most of her life. Like she had another sense, which she attributed to intuition and fast reflexes, but turns out it was a genetic predisposition to feel the Force. 

In the afternoon they took a speeder to Theed. Their cloaks covered their eyes in case they got recognised, even if Theed was rebel friendly. It was still under imperial control, and Luke didn’t want to be recognised. 

Let alone with Leia Organa, his father’s number one priority and fugitive from the Empire. 

They walked across Theed glued to each other’s side, with Luke guiding them across the crowded streets and towards the Palace. “Have you been here before?” asked Leia suspiciously.

“A few times with Piett. He admires art,” explained Luke, as they stood outside the Palace, staring at its architecture, “Though they usually made sure we were the only ones in the Palace for security reasons.”

Several species were coming in and out of the Palace now, and they snuck inside taking advantage of the crowd. If anybody noticed a young man and a young woman leaving to explore the Palace, they didn’t say anything.

They ended up finding a long empty corridor filled with portraits. Leia talked him through the ones she recognised, and Luke once again was shocked at his lack of accurate historical knowledge. A life with private tutors conditioned by imperial propaganda did him no good.

They stopped at a portrait, and Luke fell silent. “Is this–?”

“It is,” whispered Leia, “Queen Padmé Amidala.”

A tall portrait of a woman with white paint in her face and a red gown stared ahead of them, and Luke approached it closer. He removed his hood and stared up to meet his mother’s eyes. 

She was beautiful.

Leia felt sadness rolling off of Luke. She still didn’t have much experience using the Force, but she knew Luke was experiencing regret and remorse for meeting his mother for the first time in almost two decades. Even Leia expected better from Vader, and her standards for him were already super low.

“She was the youngest Queen ever elected, and had to leave to the Senate because she could not be reelected again,” explained Leia,” She was a crucial part of the Republic and during the clone wars. Theed held a funeral for her a few days after the first Empire Day.”

Luke nodded. “When we were born.”

Leia was quiet. “Yes. Her pregnancy must have been secret or she would not have been in the Senate for as long as she was,” she said, and then considered her next words carefully. “If she was pregnant with Vader’s kid I understand wanting to keep it secret.”

“You don’t know that.” said Luke, turning around. He didn’t want to defend his father, or think about him and his past actions now, “We don’t know what happened. All he told me was that he was married.”

“Oh. Jedi marriage was rare.”

“Glad we agree on something,” said Luke, looking back at the portrait, “I wish he told me about her earlier. I’ve never wanted to find out like this.”

“Me neither,” she said calmly, and then she felt danger at the end of the corridor, “Guards coming. We have to go.”

Luke looked one last time at the portrait before leaving. _Goodbye mom._


	9. Cold Space

They had been on Naboo for three days now, not risking moving too far away from the house in case they got caught by a passer-by. Luke taught her about the Force, and Leia deconditioned every imperial propaganda he had learnt.

They ended up mentally exhausted after their talks that lasted hours. Leia could slowly make objects float with her mind, and had learnt to meditate into the Force. It all came easy to her, and Luke marvelled at how fast she was learning. When she went to sleep, he stayed up late thinking about his father and the Empire.

Piett was the kindest and most patient person he knew: how could he tolerate the Empire’s actions? Even worse, how could he have ascended to the rank of Admiral? What had he done to get there and gain Vader’s trust?

Luke didn’t want to come back to the Executor, but he could not disappear before warning, especially not at the same time as Leia Organa.

Three days on Naboo turned into five, when he showed Leia the video message Piett left him. He placed the commlink on the table and buried his head between his hands.

_Luke, I hope this message finds you well. Your father told me you were on Naboo on an urgent vacation of some sorts. It’s a pity you didn’t invite me; you know I enjoy the weather there. The point of this message is to tell you that your father is getting desperate with a mission that did not succeed, and demands you to come back. Take additional precautions when flying, the rebels are tracking any imperial ships in the system._

With a nod, the video message ended. 

“That’s Piett?” asked Leia, “The Admiral of the Executor?” 

Luke nodded. “I have to go. If I say no, Vader is capable of coming here and dragging me back to space.“

“But we crashed the ship–“

“My father has a warehouse with ships he doesn't know where to store. I will drop you off somewhere. Have you managed to contact the Alliance?”

The Alliance, not the Rebellion. Leia noticed his subtle changes in vocabulary when talking about Vader and the war. She hoped he would be more careful around imperials because he was sounding like a rebel with every passing hour.

She sighed, looking at her own commlink. “Anytime now. Do you think travelling is safe?”

“Piett said you guys have the system under aerial control.” mentioned Luke, confused.

“It’s a lie. We have nothing on Naboo.”

Luke saddened again at Piett’s misinformation or lie. He didn’t know. “Then it should be safe,” he said, and stood up. He used the Force to grab a wide variety of keys. “I’ll go get the ship.”

“Try not to crash it this time.” she said with a small smile.

Luke smiled. “I’ll try my best, Princess.”

Half an hour later a ship landed outside, and Leia was ready to board before Luke stopped her, walking them back into the house.

“I want to give you something,” he confessed, handing her a box. She took it quizzingly, and opened it.

“It’s my first lightsaber. I built it when I was nine,” explained Luke, “I’d like to teach you how to use it.”

“Now? We don’t have time–“

“No, not now,” said Luke, hope in his eyes, “I’d like to see you again and continue your training. You have a lot of potential, Leia.”

She looked at him and at the lightsaber, and took a step back. She ignited it and saw a white blade, humming pleasantly in her grip. 

Luke smiled. “You will have to build your own one eventually, but it will do for training.”

Leia had seen what a lightsaber could do to people. It could cut through almost anything, and she associated it with Vader. She looked at Luke, and decided to keep it. “I propose to meet every two weeks in different locations to avoid a pattern and keep our visits a secret. If the Emperor finds out, or worse, _if_ _Vader_ finds out–“ said Leia.

“I agree.”

They boarded the ship and left the planet. Leia kept the lightsaber in a box because anyone with sight would ask why she was suddenly carrying a lightsaber with her. Luke dropped Leia off in Ryndellia, a planet close to Naboo, and saw an old ship land near them.

Luke opened the ramp and followed her out of the ship, not quite leaving in case he was recognised. Leia held the box in her hands, and turned to look at him. “I’ll see you in two weeks, then. Thank you for the rescue and for the lightsaber.” she said sincerely. 

“Try not to cut anything open by accident.” said Luke sarcastically.

Leia smiled. “Try not to crash the ship.”

“Take care, Leia. Comm me if you’re in danger.”

Leia nodded. “You too, _Luke_.”

He didn’t think he’d ever heard her saying his name. They walked away and Luke watched her board the old ship, and waited until it disappeared in the sky to leave.

Luke commed Piett and asked for the Executor’s current coordinates. The Admiral was happy to see him, not seeing the way that Luke’s fists were clenching under the pilot’s seat.

* * *

_Home sweet home_ , thought Luke bitterly as he saw the Executor from space. 

Being back was unnerving. The walls were suffocating him, and Luke felt like everyone knew his secret. He was doubting the Empire after everything that Leia told him: all his life had been a careful puzzle of fabricated stories. 

He entered his quarters and felt cold. They were empty, void of life, and he sat on a couch, feeling alone. This used to be his home. 

He didn’t tell his father that he was returning so soon, and he could feel Vader’s presence somewhere in the ship. Luke was torn between wanting to find him and scream at him, demand how he could do that to the galaxy, to thousands of innocent people, and at the same time he wanted to get away. If his father had been torturing the galaxy for over twenty years, nothing would change his mind. 

The following hours he was locked in his rooms, revisiting memories and gifts his father brought from his trips around the galaxy. Luke used to admire the man, even after knowing the extent of his father’s brutality. 

Now he wanted to throw everything into cold space.

He carefully put everything in its place and decided that he needed to talk to someone. To anyone. An imperial flagship wasn’t filled with nice people, but he knew that anyone would take up the opportunity to get a good word in with the Imperial Prince. Luke ended up in Piett’s office, not knowing how or why, and his hands shook when he knocked.

The door opened almost immediately, and Luke couldn’t even look up. 

“Luke.”

Luke nodded tiredly. “Can I come in?”

Piett walked him in and noticed that the boy wasn’t in his spirits. Usually Piett would listen to him talk about what worried him, but now Luke had asked for the last imperial missions, _in detail_. Piett explained all he knew, thinking that the boy wanted to be updated in his absence. 

When he finished speaking, he asked a question that Vader refused to answer. “How have you been?”

“Great,” answered Luke fast, “ but I needed a break from everything.”

Piett nodded, knowing that the boy was lying. He didn’t need the Force to know when someone was being dishonest. “Have you talked to your father yet?”

“No.”

“Do you want to?” asked Piett, confused.

“Where is he?"

“At a meeting. The rebels have attacked the imperial facility on Andara-”

Luke chuckled sadly, looking away. “And what is he planning to do?”

“Luke, what’s wrong?”

Luke wanted to tell him everything: all the lies, all the betrayal he felt in his bones, but it wasn’t safe. The Imperial Prince couldn’t be a rebel symphasizer, and Lord Vader couldn’t have a daughter as the leader of the Rebellion. This information had to be kept secret, even if it hurt Luke to keep it to himself. He wanted to tell Piett all about his sister, how fast she had picked up on the Force, how bold and courageous she could be. 

But he couldn’t, because Piett answered directly to Vader. 

*** * ***

Leia couldn’t concentrate. Every time she received a report of imperial activity she wondered if Luke knew about it, if he had done anything to stop it. She worried about his safety because he wore his heart on his sleeve, and even though they agreed on secrecy, she worried that Vader would get the answers if he discovered Luke was hiding something.

A week after returning from Naboo, she had to contain her instincts of landing on the Executor, picking her brother up and dragging him to the Alliance. She kept a close eye on imperial news, wondering if Luke had already cracked under Vader, but nothing out of the usual came. Death and destruction were still the main imperial activity she heard about, and the imperial news blamed it on the Rebellion. 

*** * ***

Luke had managed to avoid his father for the first days since returning from Naboo, but Luke knew he couldn’t hide forever. Vader remembered that Luke wanted to be more involved in the war, and invited him to join a war meeting with other Commanders and Captains of the Imperial Navy.

Luke only went to memorise the information and report it to Leia later. He knew the moment he stepped into the room, there was no going back. He would be a traitor to the Empire, to his father, to Piett: to everything they worked for. 

He took a deep breath and entered the room. There was a long table in the middle with over twenty people in it, but his father wasn’t there yet. Luke nodded politely at everyone, and sat on the other side of the table, the furthest from his father’s seat. 

Piett was also in the room, and he couldn’t help but worry about the boy. He demanded to be more involved in the war a month ago, and now he looked like he was ready to leave. 

Luke felt a familiar cold presence getting closer, and he put his shields the highest they’ve ever been, and he tried to repress the memory of having a sister and betraying the Empire. Vader stormed into the room, not bothering to greet anyone, and walked towards his side of the table, crossing his arms and not sitting down. He never did.

Luke couldn’t look at him, so he stared at the table in a gesture that could be read as politeness and respect. Vader’s coldness died out when he saw his son, and his presence in the Force became a shade lighter. 

“Report,” was all he said. The Commanders spoke about imperial operations in full detail, and Vader listened, his eyes never leaving his son’s.

Luke listened attentively, memorising all the locations and operations that involved the killing of innocent people and cities. He might not be involved with the Rebellion directly, but he could prevent deaths. 

“Do you have anything to add, Your Highness?” asked Vader.

Luke looked up in surprise. They never addressed each other as family in public, even if it was well known, but they had to keep up their professionalism. “No, Lord Vader.”

Luke knew his father was surprised by the lack of arguments and opinions, but Vader chose not to say anything. When the meeting ended and everyone stood up to leave, Luke felt a familiar presence in his mind telling him to stay. When Piett walked by his side, he gently squeezed his shoulder and nodded at him. Luke didn’t want to know what that meant.

The room was empty and silent, except for Vader’s respirator that Luke found relaxing. Vader stood in silence, just watching his son. “How was Naboo?”

“Fine. How’s the Empire?” asked Luke.

“Busy,” replied Vader. “What happened to your ship?”

“Crashed on Naboo, bad landing.”

Vader didn’t answer, and walked towards Luke. “What’s wrong?”

Luke gulped slowly. He didn’t know how to lie to his father. “I’m worried.”

A pause. “About what?”

“Why are we fighting this war?” asked Luke sincerely.

Vader took a moment to reply. “The Rebellion is a threat to the Empire. If they are set too loose they are capable of targeting the Emperor next.”

Luke suppressed a sad laugh. His father had no idea that it was the opposite. The threat of Palpatine’s assassination plans was still hanging in the air like a dark rainy cloud that could pour at them at any moment. “Why do you trust the Emperor?” 

Luke hit a nerve.

“I should not have let you go to Naboo. It is full of rebel sympathizers. Your secret girlfriend in Naboo has filled your head with lies.”

Luke froze. “My what?”

“I have received intelligence that you have been spotted in Theed with a young woman. I will not tolerate dating or courtship of any kind-” said Vader, and Luke chuckled loudly. It was the first time since he arrived that he had laughed or smiled. 

Vader continued. “I am not saying anything worthy of laughter, young one. I understand you are at an age that-”

Luke interrupted. This was _not_ happening. “Father, first of all I am concerned that you cannot respect my privacy and not send spies to check on me in your own private property. Second of all, that was _not_ my girlfriend,” he said harshly, disgusted with the idea, “It was just a lady that helped me around, that’s all. She didn’t know who I was.”

His ears were ringing, praying to whoever that was listening that his father would buy the lie. 

“Very well. But you are forbidden from courting _anyone,_ especially from Naboo, is that understood?” warned Vader.

Luke noticed the emphasis on Naboo, and repressed the memory of his mother. “Yes, Lord Vader. May I leave now?”

Vader dismissed him because he wasn’t in the right state of mind to tolerate his son’s attitude. Luke felt an instinctive cloud of worry and protectiveness following him, and he had to fight not to give into its familiar warmth. 

It would make his betrayal so much harder.


End file.
